Solace
by CMW2
Summary: Solace-something that gives comfort, consolation, or relief. After all hell breaks loose involving a certain suitcase, Marshall becomes Mary's solace, bringing them closer than ever. M&M drama,angst, banter,and lovemaking later. NOW COMPLETE.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: Okay, new fanfic and new fandom. I'm ready. I've been an **_**In Plain Sight**_** fan from mid season one and I barely miss an episode. I love how original it is and the connection between Mary and Marshall.**

**This fic is going to focus on that and Mary's life going to hell.**

**Hmm, kinda like the show…anyway, I'm going to take the suitcase of meth thing and twist it. One thing that's always troubled me was that Mary didn't find it like right away. She's supposed to be a badass law enforcement officer. How could she not know that her screw up sister had crank in her house?**

**Well, here's chapter one and let me know if you guys want more.**

**Disclaimer: "Honestly, it's not mine!"**

"_911, what is your emergency?"_

"_There is a suitcase full of drugs in my house! My sister…my damned sister brought them in here and it's a lot, at least 10 pounds! Send someone to get it out of my house!"_ a woman voice's demanded sharply.

Dispatcher Jane Sanford could only sit there in mute shock. In her 20 years of being at Albuquerque dispatch, she had never heard anything so messed up. It seemed to be unreal. After all, Albuquerque was too quiet and unimportant for drug dealers.

"Ma'am, is this a prank?"

The snarl over the line made her regret her question immediately.

"_Look, if __**you're**__ not going to do anything, then __**I**__ will. I'm not having these drugs in my damn house for another second. I don't think the city would take too kindly to having a shitload of crank in the sewer system."_

Crank? That meant meth. Meth meant news crews, lots of them from all over. The last thing she wanted was to be known as the stupid bitch that didn't help the investigation. Stupid bitches that didn't help investigations usually ended up in jail…

"What is your address?"

_**////////////////**_

He pulled his car straight onto the lawn and ran into the house past the reporters, his sky blue eyes frantically searching for her.

It was absolute bedlam. The place was crawling with officers and agents. Huge bags of crystal meth were being stacked on the coffee table and he could see Mary standing in the kitchen, watching with dismayed rage. Marshall Mann could only imagine what she felt. Anger, betrayal, sadness…

All she did was take in her sister and now she had all this hell come down on her. The FBI and the DEA would be all over her trying to connect her to the drugs and the media…the media would out her as a WitSec officer. Her witnesses would be in danger. _She_ would be in danger…

Coming over, he hugged her, uncaring of the consequences.

Instead of shooting him or yelling at him, though, she hugged him back fiercely, burying her face in his t-shirt. When he had seen her house on the news, he had just reacted. So, now he was standing barefoot in the middle of her kitchen with his airplane pajama pants on. What worried him was that Mary hadn't ragged on him yet. Even in the most stressful situations in the field, she would find a way to insult him. This was bad.

"All I wanted was my damn boots back." she said after a moment.

Confused, he met her pained emerald gaze.

"I thought Squish had stolen my boots again. You know, the black ones? So, I went in her closet looking for them. After a while, I realized that she could've hid them in her suitcase so she could take them back to Jersey so I opened it and all of…**that** came out! God, Marshall, how stupid am I?! Of _**course**_, she'd bring drugs into my house! It's _**Brandi**_! I should've expected this!"

The guilt coloring her tone made him ache with sadness for her and burn with rage towards Brandi. Mary always had to clean up after her messes, always had to carry her load and her drunk of a mom's too. It wasn't right.

"_Move out of my way! This is my daughter's house! What are you all doing here?!"_

Mary groaned and put her face back in his shirt, not wanting to deal with the aforementioned drunk's dramatics.

"What's going on?!"

Marshall glared at Jinx and snarled, "What's it look like? Where's Brandi?"

Jinx sputtered and looked around, seeing all of the agents and the drugs on the table.

"Mary! Mary, you have to help her! She…this is just a big misunderstanding!"

Marshall felt his jaw drop at this woman's audacity. She couldn't muster up an ounce of concern for Mary but when it came to Brandi, she would walk on glass.

"A _**misunderstanding**_?!"

When Mary moved out of his arms, he instinctively backed up.

He knew thoroughly pissed off Mary Shannon when he heard it and he did not want to be caught in the crossfire.

Some of the agents had the same idea and Marshall even saw one go for his gun.

Glaring at him, he showed his badge (the only thing he had the presence of mind to grab other than his keys and cuffs) and gestured sharply for him to lay off.

"A fucking misunderstanding?! Look around, mom! Look at all these damn agents! Look at all this shit on the coffee table! This is not a goddamned misunderstanding! This is straight up drug trafficking and I will not help her! She deserves to go down for this!"

"How can you say that?! She's your little sister, for Christ's sake! Your family!"

"Family?! No, _**he's**_ my family..."

Marshall could feel a little warmth fill him as she pointed at him.

"...and my boss is my family! All you and Brandi are is dead, _**drunken**_ weight! No wonder dad left!"

The gunshot clap of Jinx's hand hitting Mary's face echoed through the house.

Done, Marshall grabbed his handcuffs and swiftly put them on Jinx who was struggling against him wildly.

"How_** dare**_ you?! How can you arrest me for hitting that ungrateful bitch?!" she screeched.

"If anyone's an ungrateful bitch in this room, it's you and I'm cuffing you for obstruction. Get her out of here!", he replied icily.

Two police officers took her out and Marshall could see an ugly hand print shaped bruise already forming on Mary's cheek.

"Mare…"

"Don't. Just get me the hell out of this house." she cut off in a tear choked voice.

"Okay. Okay, we'll go. Do you want me to call Raph?"

"No. No, I just…need you. Get me out of here, Doofus."

After telling the officers to put out an APB for Brandi, he did just so.

As soon as they got on the road, she curled up quietly into her seat and started crying silently.

With that, he headed back towards his place.

He didn't know what he'd do when he got there but he did know that he wanted her to stop crying.

It killed him when she was hurting.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Well, my big sister and my parents are currently holed up in their room arguing about something or other and I'm hiding from it. I do not want to know exactly is going on. I don't care. I just know that there's a possibility of her leaving. If she does end up moving out, I'll support her as best as I can. After all, she's 18, a legal adult now, and I can't stop her. I'm not getting actively involved though because I'm stuck with my parents for at least another 2 years and they are the type to hold grudges.**

**To take my mind off of the ongoing showdown, I'm going to post another chapter on here. I'm glad you guys are liking the story and I do plan on it being at least 8 chapters. One good thing about IPS is that the characters have such versatility that plot lines just flow out of me.**

**Disclaimer: "Honestly, it's not mine!"**

Her phone was ringing again but she made no move to answer it.

It was probably Raph, anyway and she meant what she had said earlier to Marshall. She didn't need him right now. She didn't need his brand of care right now and his not too hidden affection for Squish. No, she needed Marshall. He was always on her side, always picked her up when she fell.

Hell, he was the only person that she felt comfortable crying in front of.

The phone eventually stopped ringing and an ice pack was delicately placed on her cheek, soothing the sting of her mother's hand. It was ironic. Jinx had spent years figuratively slapping her in the face and now she had taken it to the next level. The only things keeping her from shooting the alchie right then and there were all the agents around and the media. Oh, god, the media…

"I got to call Stan. My witnesses…if the bastards after them see me on TV…" she started.

The last thing she needed right now was her professional life going down the crapper due to some over zealous reporter.

Marshall held gently but firmly sat her back on the couch and replied, "I'll do it. You sit here and rest. You're going to need it."

Knowing that he was right, she moved to hold the ice pack herself, making their fingers brush together briefly. To her surprise, a warm shiver went down her spine and she looked at him warily. He wasn't supposed to make her feel shivers.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing.", she denied quickly.

"Mary…"

"It's nothing to worry about, Doofus. Really. Now, go call Stan…and change your pants, you look like a 3rd grader." she snarked, finally noticing his pajamas.

"I'm 43 and still in the 3rd grade? Damn…" he drawled before sticking his tongue out at her, softening the sarcasm.

Mary laughed and threw a pillow after him as he went down the hall.

He was such a Doofus! _Her_ Doofus but still…

Her phone rang yet again and this time she grabbed it and answered it.

"What?"

"_Dios mio, Mary! I saw your house on the news and Jinx being hauled out! Where is Brandi? She needs you to help her."_

Mary barely suppressed the urge to throw her phone across the room. Brandi shatters every fucking drug law in the country and they flock to her aid. Mary gets shot at or accosted by a psychopathic jackass and they do nothing. Figures. Just...fucking…figures.

"Oh, yeah Raph, I'm _**fine**_. Thanks for asking. I don't know where Brandi is and I don't give a damn! She's on her own! She brought drugs into my house…**my** damn house where** I** pay the too damn high mortgage… and _**you**_ expect _**me**_ to save her sorry ass?!"

"_Mary, just calm down…"_

"I don't _**want**_ to fucking calm down! You want to know where Brandi is, then ask my mother! Oh wait, you _**can't**_! See, instead of helping the agents that were swarming my house like the useless drones they are, she decided to bitch slap me for not helping her precious little drug dealer so, now she's in the clink where she _**belongs**_!"

"…_Mary, let's talk about this. Where are you?"_

"I'm with my partner. See, _**he**_ actually cares about me and not just when I'm naked." she informed him bitterly.

"_That is not true! I asked you to marry me! I'm in love with you!"_

"**On what basis?!** Okay, yeah you know that I have a mole on my left ass cheek and like it from behind but do you know the important stuff?! Do you know what I'm allergic to?! Why my back hurts when it rains?! My _**middle name**_?! Do you at least know _**that**_?!"

The silence on the line was louder than a gunshot.

"Exactly! Raph, even someone as emotionally fucked up as I am knows that love and a marriage cannot work if you don't know the person and…and I can't let you get to know me. I just... can't."

The silence stretched out a little longer and then a heavy defeated sigh sounded.

"_You weren't even willing to try. Over 2 years and you never… just bring me my key back."_

The line went dead and Mary sighed as she hung up the phone.

_Excellent. In the last 3 hours, I've lost my house, my lousy excuse for a family, and my fuck buddy. That's __**got**__ to be a record…_

"You're allergic to Novocaine, your back hurts when it rains because you landed wrong during a championship swing jumping contest when you were in the 2nd grade and your middle name is Alexandria after the city in Egypt. Your dad came up with it.", a quiet voice said from behind her.

Turning around, she faced her partner who was leaning against the doorway. She didn't bother asking how he knew all that or why he bothered to store the information in his brain. It was just as useless as all the other unimportant crap he put in there.

_Not to him. You're not useless or unimportant to him. You've never been. Why else do you think he's stuck around? Put up with you and your baggage? He lo-_

Cutting off the inner voice, she gave him a shaky smirk.

"Stalker.", she accused.

He snorted ruefully and told her, "Stan wants you to take a couple of days off. Get all your facts together."

"Get her facts together"? Was she a suspect? How the hell could she be a suspect?!

"Marshall, I didn't know about that crap in the suitcase!" she protested indignantly.

"I know that, Mare! Everyone within 3 miles of your house knows that! _Nobody_ can fake that level of pissed off! Still, the FBI is out for blood and they don't care who it comes from and I…_we_ don't want it to be you!" he insisted with puppy dog eyes.

She remembered those eyes from when he got shot, from when he swore not to die on her and that softened her ire.

"Okay, fine. What about Squish? Have they found her yet?" she asked while staring at the wall behind him.

"Tornillo PD picked her up at a bar near the border on a drunk and disorderly. They're sending her back here to be charged. Jinx is going to be charged with obstruction of justice and assault on a law enforcement officer."

"And Brandi?"

"Drug trafficking in the first degree. The DA might give her a bargain if she rolls on her source."

Mary snorted and said, "Well, at least Chuckles is going down with her. Jerk off."

Until she met him, she had thought that Brandi was the biggest idiot in the country but Chuckles took it to a whole new dimension.

"He's got to be working for someone. The idiot can't even make a cup of noodles right much less crank…and he's dragged Brandi into it. Shit."

"I'm sorry, Mare."

As weak as those words were, she knew that he meant them so she didn't snap at him.

"It's okay, Doofus. It was going to happen eventually."

But, damn if it didn't hurt.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: Good morning. The big storm has passed and my sister is still here, which is good. I haven't had a case of writer's block since I came up with my "One update a day system", which is **_**great**_**. I have to spend this weekend and next week typing up my English project and emailing it to my teacher by the 14****th****, which is bad because I might have to go off the FFN radar for a little bit. Hopefully, I won't. And I now have a big, throbbing, **_**stinging**_** zit right on the bridge of my nose, which sucks **_**majorly**_** because I have less than 3 weeks before I have to go get my new bar code tattoo…I mean, ID card… for school. It takes at least 2 weeks for zits like this to heal with me and I really don't want to look like a unicorn in my picture...or a dartboard.**

**Christ, is that time of year again, already? It seems like summer just started…oh, well. I might as well get used to getting up at 5 again and the smell of idiots with #2 pencils. On the bright side, I am finally an upperclassmen (The Class of 2011 owns your **_**souls**_**!) so that means that the light at the end of the hellish tunnel known as high school is very near. It better not be some dick with a flashlight or I'm going to be pissed. LOL!**

**Enough of my rambling. I better get this chapter up before my sibs decide it's a good idea to destroy my house…again.**

**PS: To avoid confusion, Mary's inner voice will be bolded and her thoughts won't be. I'm going to have to fix it in 2 later.**

**Disclaimer: "Honestly, it's not mine!"**

"Thanks for coming with me, Marshall. You…you didn't have to."

"Mary, you're my partner. I'm supposed to help you deal with your perpetually wasted mom and idiot drug dealer of a sister. It's what partners do."

"Still…thanks."

He followed her into the PD bullpen and Bobby D. waved them over to the interrogation rooms.

"Oooh, nice makeup, Shannon. Going to go dance to _**Thriller**_, later?" the intense black man snarked.

"I'd rather dance on your grave, Dershowitz." she fired back with a sardonic smile.

Marshall snorted and let them do their thing. They had a ritual of insults and innuendo. After a few fits of jealousy, he realized that it was their way of expressing affection and respect for each other, like brother and sister. Besides, Marshall figured that he was the only man crazy enough to fall for all of Mary, not just her body.

Although, her argument with Raph had given him some pleasant imagery to work with.

His gaze went to her denim covered behind and he could imagine tracing the mole there as he took her on his kitchen counter, her screams echoing through his house…

"Stop looking at my ass, Pervis."

Marshall blushed and looked guiltily at the wall, ignoring Dershowitz's snickering.

Mary smirked at him and he lightly pushed her as they entered the observation area.

Brandi was sitting at the table in handcuffs, looking she should be in a graveyard. Her skin was chalky and fear blazed in her eyes, eyes so similar to Mary's that it hurt to meet them. She had on a black mini skirt, a red tank top, and knee high boots, an obvious hitchhiking outfit. She had probably been on the way to Mexico when she got…sidetracked.

Jinx was sitting next to her and he turned on the intercom to hear their conversation.

"…_she said that we were nothing but dead drunken weight and that your father left because of us…"_ Jinx was saying sullenly.

"_He did! The only reason he stuck it out long as he did was for Mary! He always did like her best! Probably because she didn't do stupid things like me…like __**now!**__ I __**knew**__ that this would be a bad idea but Chuck…Chuck said he'd leave me if I didn't do his stupid drug dealt...and now, Mary's involved! She could lose her __**job!**__ Hell, she could go to fucking __**jail**__ because of __**me!**__"_ Brandi snapped before dissolving into tears.

Mary turned to the back wall and put her head in her hands, shaking.

Looking to comfort her, he put a hand on her back, trying to stop her from crying.

Instead of crying, she was…laughing?

"Mare?"

"It takes her getting busted with 20 pounds of crank to care about someone other than herself…_**unfuckingbelievable!**_ _**Why the hell didn't you **_**think**_** of that before you brought that shit into my house?!**_" she screamed into the intercom so Brandi could hear.

"_I'm sorry, Mary! I'm __**so**__ sorry!"_

Mary went into the room and hugged her crying sister, calling her an idiot yet comforting her at the same time. Jinx tried to put a hand on Mary's back but she stared her mother down.

"_I have my gun now so if you're up for Round Two…"_

"_Mary…"_

"_Don't talk to me, right now. I don't want to hear it. You said all you needed to with…this."_

Even with ice, the hand print had darkened to an ugly black, blue, and purple. Marshall could feel the rage from earlier return as Jinx tried to justify her actions.

"_Look, you just…you can't say things like that and not expect a reaction. You just …can't!"_

Dershowitz tried to hold him back but Marshall burst into the room and gave Jinx a look that would've reduced her dust if it could.

"What?! She can't tell the truth?!" he hissed.

"Get out! This has nothing to do with you! _**You're**_ not family!" Jinx screeched.

Brandi said nothing but he knew that she didn't agree with her mother's passionate howling.

"According to Mary, I _**am**_! Now sit down and shut the hell up before_** I**_ put a bullet in you!" he barked while kicking a chair towards her.

"He'll do it, too. Under that nerdy giraffe exterior is Annie Oakley on speed." Mary added as she looked at her mother with utter disdain.

Jinx looked to Dershowitz for help but he looked away, making her sigh and sit down in a sulk.

"You only care about _**her**_, anyway. You couldn't care less about Brandi or me.", she said petulantly.

"Exactly. See, Mary is the only one of you _**worth**_ caring about. Look, Brandi, if you roll on your source, the DA is willing to negotiate."

"So, she won't go to jail?" Jinx asked hopefully.

"Oh, she will and I distinctly remember telling you to shut up.", he replied coldly.

Marshall was done holding back just how much he despised the woman. He hated her almost as much as he loved Mary and that was saying something. Brandi, he could at least tolerate but her...she was no better than the gum under his boots. Jinx obviously picked up on the hatred because she paled and looked at him (his gun) warily.

"Don't bother, Doofus. It's like talking to a brick wall." Mary cut in resignedly.

"Don't insult walls like that, Mare. It's not nice. What do you say, Brandi?"

She nodded in agreement and Dershowitz came in and sat in the remaining chair.

"Okay, you two. Why don't you take Mrs. Shannon out of here and let me do my job before the damn Feds show up?"

"I'll leave that to Mary. Last thing I need is getting _**another**_ police brutality charge in my file." Marshall said while giving Jinx a chilling smile before heading back to the truck.

_**//////////////**_

"Why'd you tear into Jinx like that? Not that it wasn't totally cool to watch and all but I'm confused. What did she ever do to you?"

As soon as he looked at her, Mary knew the answer. He hated her mother because she always screwed her over. Raph had never felt like that before. In fact, he had loved her mother which in retrospect should've been a warning sign. Marshall was different. He wasn't one to put up with people's bullshitting, especially when the bullshitting hurt the ones he lo-…_**cared about**_.

_**That's not what you were thinking. You know exactly how he feels about you. Why won't you just let him? Better yet, why don't you just tell him you feel the same? It's only three little words. I lo-**_

That stupid inner voice didn't have a goddamn clue just how hard it was for her to think of Marshall like that. Not because he was an idiot or spineless or repulsive (he was actually pretty damn sexy when he felt like it), no, it was because it was _**Marshall**_. Her partner, her _**Doofus**_, the only true friend she had in the whole fucked up world. He was a forever sort of guy, the 2.5 kids with a picket fence and a golden retriever sort of guy. Mary couldn't give him that. Hell, she couldn't give him the golden retriever part.

He deserved someone that could.

Besides, it was better to have him in her life as a friend/secret lo-…_**interest**_ than to fuck up a relationship and lose him for good.

_**What makes you think you'd lose him? He's been around for almost 6 years and he's never once thought of leaving you. Okay, there was that whole job offer in fucking Timbuktu thing but he didn't take it. He**_** stayed**_**. He stayed for you. He lo-**_

"It's not what she's done to me. It's what she's done to you. Pass the Tabasco."

_Pass the Tabasco? He's going to say something heavy but sweet like that and then just move on? What the fuck?_

"Marshall…"

"Don't, Mary. You already have enough to deal with. Let it drop…please."

She frowned but slid the bottle of hot sauce to him before getting back to her own diner food.

She'd respect his wishes and let it drop.

For now.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: You know, I missed most of finale because I was afraid of seeing the wedding that should not be happening in the first place but eventually I saw the last fifteen minutes and…oh, I just wanted to give both Mary and Marshall a hug. Poor babies. And even though she was all shot and dying and stuff, I couldn't help but squee a bit when he kissed her brow. I mean, it's not a kiss on the lips (or a "lipstick smear') but it's a start, right? Or is it an ending? I mean, Mary looked like hell…**

**That's one of the reasons I hate season finales…they always leave them open ended so they can get viewers for next season. **

**So in an effort to take my mind off of my bleeding M&M heart, I'll write. I'm going to incorporate O'Connor (even though I fucking hated him) and bring in Stan. He's my favorite character on the show, after Mary and Marshall, of course, and I want him to have some screen time in this story. I may bring in Eleanor later but I'm not sure yet. I'm playing it by ear.**

**Disclaimer: "Honestly, it's not mine!"**

"You ready for this?"

She sighed and replied honestly, "No. But, I want to get it over with, if not so I can get the Fed germs out of my house."

"Fed germs?" he chuckled.

"Hell, yeah, fed germs! I'm going to have to burn all the furniture and get one of those humidifier things and I'll even have to clean under the couch. I'll probably find the Holy Grail or maybe my mother's sanity." she grumbled as she fussed with the ties on her…his sweats.

This whole time she had been rotating between her pajamas and the emergency change of clothes she kept in the SUV. Since she had been summoned by the Feds, Marshall had insisted on her wearing something a little cleaner. Luckily they were close to the same height. His clothes were a little tight on her in areas (he was too goddamned skinny) but at least she looked presentable. And his t-shirt smelled good, a blend of sand, Gain, and a clean, natural Marshall musk. The looks he gave her when he thought she wasn't looking told her that he liked the sight of her in his clothes…and possibly out of them.

One good thing about Brandi getting tangled up with Chucklehead's drugs was that the few blinders she had were ripped off, particularly the ones pertaining to the man next to her. Marshall wanted her. Any idiot could see it by the way he took care of her, the way he looked at her, the way he always found excuses to touch her, and if the idiot still didn't believe it, all she'd have to do is bring up the look he gave her when she was in that black sequined nightie passing for a dress. He had looked like he wanted to haul her into the back of the truck and then give her a new, better reason to groan. And of course, the kiss in that nasty ass stable... lipstick smear, her ass! How could she have come up with something so weak? It was worse the vacuum cleaner accident excuse for hickies. It _**had**_ been a kiss and a damned good one at that. Raph had kissed good, too but his had never made her toes curl or her heart go into double time and he had done it for many times for years. Marshall had kissed her once for like 10 seconds and she had felt like she was going to burst into flames.

Of course, she had to be her and blow it off as a fluke so things wouldn't change.

She hated change. Change sucked but perhaps now was the time for one between them…

"Mary!"

She jumped and looked at him with annoyance.

"Jesus, Marshall. What the hell?"

"We're here."

_**///////////////**_

The house was a disaster. Drawers thrown open, furniture overturned, and bottles of alcohol everywhere, along with empty pizza boxes. Apparently, the FBI had made themselves quite at home. Marshall felt the rage return stronger than ever and he barely resisted the urge to shoot the smug looking FBI blowhard standing at the counter, flanked by two other agents.

"Glad you could join us, Inspector Shannon. I'm Special Agent Robert O'Connor."

"You and the rest of the Mickey Mouse Club will be fixing my house or I will shoot you all in the nuts."

Marshall was now biting back his laughter. It was typical Mary: blunt, rude, and trigger happy.

"It will be fixed. Of course, that is after you answer some questions." O'Connor said while holding a stack of files like they were a weapon. To his horror, the files were neatly labeled with her father, mother, and sister's names. The bastard was trying to turn it into a witch hunt by pinning their crap on her.

To his surprise, Mary laughed.

"You really think you can faze me with my family's dirty laundry? I _**lived**_ through it. Seeing it in ink and paper doesn't make a difference. Besides, _my_ record's clean and that's the one that the head honchos really care about. So, go ahead and ask your questions."

O'Connor's face darkened and he asked, "What is your relationship with Charles Johnson?"

"He's my sister's idiot crank peddling boyfriend. I don't have a relationship with him. He's a sleaze and no better than the gum under my boots."

"Did you know about you sister's involvement in drug trafficking?"

"Not until 2 days ago."

"How did you come across the drugs in the first place?"

"Brandi steals not only my sanity but my clothes. I was looking for my boots and I figured she stowed them in the suitcase so she could take them back to Jersey. I opened it and there they were. I immediately called the police afterwords."

"And can you verify that?" O'Connor asked him, trying to trap Mary in a lie.

Instead of answering, Marshall merely pulled a transcript out of his own folder and read it to him.

"PD dispatch got her call at approximately 6:45AM and Inspector Shannon said and I quote: "_There is a suitcase full of drugs in my house! My sister…my damned sister brought them in here and it's a lot, at least 10 pounds! Send someone to get it out of my house!"_ and after Ms. Sanford hesitated, she continued by saying, '_Look, if __**you're**__ not going to do anything, then __**I**__ will. I'm not having these drugs in my damn house for another second. I don't think the city would take too kindly to having a shitload of crank in the sewer system.'_ Now, I may be just a lowly Witness Protection drone but that doesn't sound like accessory to drug trafficking to me. What about you, Agent O'Connor?"

The man's jaw ticked and he snatched the transcript out of his hands as he stalked out of the house.

"Hey, Agent Asshole! What about my house?!" Mary hollered after him.

The screech of a truck angrily being driven off was her only reply.

"Well, that was rude." Marshall deadpanned.

"Ya think? Well, it looks like Tweedledee and Tweedledum will be helping us out, eh?" Mary replied as she tossed him a roll of garbage bags and headed to find a push broom.

One of the agents made to protest but Marshall reminded him, "You two helped mess it up and your ride just left you to have his hissy fit in private. Now, you two can start by getting all the bottles out of here. It looks like the bar from _**Cheers**_ threw up in here."

_**//////////////**_

The pounding on the door made him look up from the stack of paperwork and draw his gun. Usually, deranged psychopaths didn't knock but it was better to be safe than sorry. After all, Albuquerque could pretty wild when it felt like it.

_Funny that it always feels like it when my inspectors are involved…_

The pounding became louder and Stan McQueen came into the bullpen, only to see O'Connor. He only knew him for a couple of days and Stan already knew that he hated his guts. The bastard was obviously making it personal and seemed to be determined to take Mary down with her idiot of a sister. What Stan didn't understand was why. Why was he so driven? Had Mary pissed him off in the past? It was highly likely but to his knowledge, they hadn't met until today.

"What do you want?"

"I need access to Shannon's file!"

"It's _Inspector _Shannon and you're not getting a damned thing without a warrant, which no sane judge would ever give you. Go home, Agent O'Connor."

"I could have you arrested for interfering in an FBI investigation!"

"And I could have your sorry ass back on the first thing smoking to Quantico for harassment and the fact that you're emotionally involved in this case! You've got Brandi, you've got her supplier, and you've got the biggest drug bust here since the 70s! What more do you want?!"

"She is involved somehow and I'm going to figure out how! You and that partner of hers won't be able to protect her, forever!" the agent snarled before stalking out of the office.

_Yeah, well, we're here for now and you're not getting a fucking thing on her…not if I can help it._

Nobody would expect the little bald man to be fierce but when it came to the ones he cared about, Stan McQueen was not to be trifled with.

He would protect Mary and Marshall from all this hell if was the last thing he'd do.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: The week long heat wave has finally ended and I ended up in bed with a migraine all morning as the weather stabilized. I really, really hate Michigan weather. But, now I'm feeling much better and before I go corral my siblings until their bedtime(my mom just had some major dental work and is incapacitated and my dad has to work tonight), I'd like to get a chapter up for this fic.**

**I'm going to continue Mary's introspection bit on her and Marshall's relationship and start to give their fledging "something more" a little bit more substance to it…substance that I think you guys will certainly enjoy. I certainly enjoyed writing it so that's a good sign. O'Connor and the case against Brandi will return next update and I'll bring in Chuckles and Spanky. I also might do an M&M version of "Stan By Me" but I'm not sure. I mean, the episode was so good, it just doesn't feel right to mess with it, you know? Also, I'm starting to draft their first time together and I'm open to suggestions or even requests. Even proudly perverted band geeks like me need help sometimes.**

**Disclaimer: "Honestly, it's not mine!"**

Her battered eggplant Probe pulled to a stop in front of the apartment complex and she sighed before turning the car off. She really didn't want to do this but she had to. If she was going to move forward with Marshall (and she was seriously considering turning that _**if**_ into a _**when**_), then she needed to sever all her weak but still there ties with this man.

_Meaning that I actually have to get out of the car, walk up the path, knock on the door, and give him all his crap back without shooting him or worse, **sleeping** with him._

Raph was really good at getting her to forget, which is why she had stayed with him so long but she didn't want to forget. She actually wanted to go home or shoot some dirt bag, not this…not this at all.

_**Unh-unh, you said you were going to change. You promised!**_, her inner voice helpfully screeched.

Change sucked. Mary hated change. There had been so many changes in her childhood, many of them bad and now the very mention of the word made her feel ill and out of control. But, if she was going to pull a whole "phoenix rising from the ashes" bit with her life, then she'd just have to get over it. She did not want to end up like the rest of her family: fucked up, miserable, and with nothing but 5 inch thick criminal files to show for their years. She wanted to be different. She wanted to break the mold, shoot it, and throw in the desert for the buzzards. Permanently cutting Raph off would be like Day Zero for that mission. Besides, when she thought about it, she did feel more than a little guilty for hanging him out to dry so bluntly. And over the phone, too? That was just plain rude! _**Necessary**_, but still rude, even for her…

_**Just go in there and do it. If you can get shot at and put up with a Library of Congress worthy store of useless trivia on a regular basis, you can certainly give your ex whatever the hell he was his laundry, toothbrush, razor and house key. Now, go. Go **_**now!**

Deciding to just brazen it out, Mary mustered every ounce of badass she had and got out the car with the basket. Her boots stomped authoritatively on the sidewalk and she kept her head up high as she approached the door. She could do this. She could totally freakin' do this. She had to, damn it!

Knocking firmly on the door, it opened immediately.

To her surprise, she wasn't looking at Raphael but a Salma Hayek lookalike in his shirt and only his shirt.

_Wow. Just…wow._

"Who are you?" the Salma clone demanded with narrowed eyes.

Mary's jaw clenched but then she gave the woman a sweet smile, mentally counting to 60 (because 10 would never cut it) to keep calm and poised. Old Mary would've gone off on her in a jealous rage but she was New Mary, now, meaning that _**Jerry Springer**_ish behavior was unacceptable. She would take the high ground this time.

"I'm Mary, Raphael's ex girlfriend of less than 2 days. He _**really**_ does have a great recovery time. Could you give all this to him, please? Oh and give him a big 'fuck you', for me? Thanks." she replied pleasantly while surrendering the basket.

Okay, high ground or not, it needed to be said. He said that he loved her and yet, he hadn't hesitated in replacing her? Come on!

The woman's cheeks flushed to an enraged red and the door slammed shut in her face.

Seconds later, she could hear angry rapid fire Spanish and Raph's footsteps hurrying to the door, sounding as if he were dodging objects from the aforementioned basket.

Mary, not wanting to hear his excuses, headed back to her car and slammed the door shut, ready to leave and give it a "mission accomplished".

Of course, her piece of crap car decided that now was a great time to take a nap and refuse to start, giving him ample time to catch up to her.

"Shit.", she muttered and she managed to lock the doors before Raph could get in.

"_Mary!"_

"I have nothing to say to you, Raph!" she called as she pressed the first speed dial on her phone.

"_It is not what it-"_

"Uh, yeah, it _**really**_ is! Hey, Doofus." she greeted as Marshall answered.

"_Mare, what's going on? Where are you?"_

He didn't sound clingy, just concerned, earning him more brownie points in her book.

"I went to give Raph his crap back…"

"_I thought we were going to burn all his crap."_

"No, we're burning all the crap he _**gave **_me. Anyway, I'm outside his place in my not working car and I need a ride and your shooting skills, cowboy because Raph's outside my car and it doesn't look like he's going away anytime soon. I think he wants to make up which is really funny because his new girlfriend's like right here."

Raph kicked the car and she reached for the gun she kept in the glove box, pointing it at him steadily.

"_Don't think I won't shoot you_! Marshall, about that ride…" she trailed off breathlessly.

She could hear an angry snarl over the line and for some reason, the sound sent a lovely tingle to her loins.

"_Just hold on, Mary. I'll be there in 15."_

_**//////////////**_

It had been a long time since he had gotten this mad. The time he could remember was after he had caught his little sister's prom date trying to slip a mickey to her and that had been what 10, 15 years ago? But, now, it was like it paled in comparison to the levels of rage he had been feeling lately while dealing with Mary. Oh, he wasn't mad at her. Definitely not. He could never get… he never _**stay**_ mad at her for more than a day (or four) and he had never gotten the urge to just strangle her. Okay, yeah, he had (it _**was**_ Mary, after all) but he never seriously considered acting on it. No, he was pissed at her pathetic excuse for a family, the drug dealers in Jersey and her fuck buddy…_**ex**_ fuck buddy, he reminded himself.

His foot pressed harder on the gas at the very thought of that steroid popping jerk near her and if he put his hands on her…

_**Then, Mary would rip his throat out. She's an exotic animal, remember? Your lioness.**_, his inner voice reassured.

_She's not __**my**__ anything and even lionesses get overwhelmed, sometimes. I'm not going to feel better until…son of a bitch!_

Raphael was actually pushing at the car and the woman in the doorway (presumably the girlfriend) was frantically dialing the police, showing that she had some form of higher intelligence. Skidding to a stop and leaving the motor running, Marshall darted out of his car and shouted for him to back up.

Actually, it was "Back the hell up!" but the message had obviously registered because Raph was now glaring at him and advancing on him, leaving Mary alone.

Marshall cursed himself for leaving his gun in the car but he didn't have time to dwell on that now since 195 pounds of pissed athlete was seeking blood…**his** blood.

"Of course, she'd call her beloved _**partner**_ to take care of her! She always put you and her damned job first! You probably made her to break up with me, didn't you?!" he spat hatefully before moving to punch him.

Marshall ducked and replied coldly, "No one can _**make**_ Mary do anything. It was her own decision and a good one, I might add."

He couldn't avoid the next punch, unfortunately and now, he realized just how nice the streets of Albuquerque really were…and just hard sneakers could be with the right amount of steroid induced force behind them.

"_Marshall!"_

Vaguely, he heard the sounds of a scuffle and he dimly saw Raph go flying before she filled his vision.

"Marshall?" she asked worriedly, taking him back to when he was shot.

He groaned and sat up, wiping at the blood on his cheek with the back of his hand. He was sporting a pretty bad case of road rash, now and he couldn't help but notice that her fading bruises looked just like it.

"Aw, jeez, Marshall…"

"I'm fine."

"Fine?! You're _**bleeding**_, you moron! Damn it, this is my fault!" she snapped while using her jacket to try and slow the flow.

He shifted to help her but hissed as his left side protested heartily.

Of course, she noticed and he replied, "No, it's not…I think he broke one of my ribs. You need to check."

"And yet, you're fine and it's not my fault. Yeah, right. ", she grumbled as she laid him flat and started unbuttoning his shirt.

In the hundreds (thousands) of scenarios he thought of this happening, him being injured by a Spanish bull hadn't been one of them. It was completely screwed up.

_**You're Mary and Marshall. If you did anything normally, the world would come to an end.**_

For once, his inner voice had a good point but he ignored it in favor of enjoying the feeling of her cool hands on his skin. He was also gratified to see a bit of enjoyment in her gaze and it gave him hope. Maybe, just _**maybe**_, she was starting to feel the same way.

If so, he wouldn't push her. He had waited this long. A little longer wouldn't hurt him.

She pressed gently down on the rapidly forming bruise and he gritted his teeth as white hot agony filled him.

"Sorry. It's not broken but you're going to have a hell of a bruise for a while. Can you stand?"

"Not without help." he admitted.

She nodded and gently as she could, got him off the asphalt, supporting him as she got them to his car to lean against. Approaching sirens made him close his eyes and bury the uninjured side of his face in her hair. She smelled like vanilla and gunpowder, comforting him.

"It really isn't your fault, Mare." he assured her gently.

"Yes, it is. I got you involved in my drama…again."

"You didn't point a gun to my head. Besides, I was overdue for my yearly case of road rash. Thanks for helping me out."

She laughed and carefully put an arm around him, squeezing as much as she could without adding to his pain.

"Doofus." she said fondly.

He didn't reply, he just nuzzled her hair and listened to her chew out the cops for not getting there faster.

Never let it be said that the lioness didn't protect her own.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: Well, I finally went to the doctor today and the good news is that other than my minor ailments, I'm completely healthy. Which is awesome because I really was starting to get scared. You see, a lot of sicknesses run in my family, including heart disease and diabetes, and they start showing up at around 16, 17 years old, which is right where I am now.**

**I do **_**not**_** want to be perpetually sick and miserable like my parents so I was looking to nip things in the bud. But, fortunately there are no problems to be nipped. In celebration of this news and the end of an oppressive last minute summer heat wave, I'll be updating on this. It's been a while and I apologize for that.  
**

**I'm glad you guys like the story. I really want Mary and Marshall to be together (who doesn't?) and in character and since nobody's said anything about them being OOC, I guess that means I'm doing something right.**

**This chapter is more of a case one than an M&M one but I put a little bit in that should make some of you squee...or just scream "Finally!" at the top of your lungs. I'm building up to their first kiss in my drafting and once I do that, it'll be easier to shift to the naked part which I know you all are looking forward to. I know **_**I**_** am.**

**Just as a heads up, I start school next week. Well, maybe the week after, I'm not sure. I just know that I go back on the 9****th**** so updates may falter. I don't know how badly yet but rest assured that I will not completely disappear. The American educational system will not defeat me!**

**Disclaimer: "Honestly, it's not mine!"**

"_**Look, I know my rights! You can't keep me here for no damned reason! I want a lawyer!"**_

"No damned reason? He calls first degree drug trafficking no damned reason?"

"I've already told you and Agent O'Asshole that he's an idiot. Plus, he's not expecting Squish to roll on him."

Dershowitz snorted and looked at his friend/pain in the ass. Mary looked exhausted. Instead of ugly ass bruises, she was now sporting dark circles under her eyes and she had lost a little weight. She was still hot (and deadly) as all levels of hell but there was a fragility to her now.

He was still trying to figure out the exact cause but he had a gut feeling that it had to do with her partner. When his boys had come back with some Spanish guy in tow, they had been talking about how harsh she had been with them. Normally, that was nothing to wonder about. After all, if she wasn't rude and bitchy to people, then it was time to worry.

No, what Bobby had taken notice of was the descriptions of how close she and Marshall had looked. They had been clinging to each other like someone had krazy glued them. And there was more.

He had refused to go to the hospital without her in the ambulance with him. Then, she had refused to let go of his hand, even going as far as to ride on the gurney with him. The icing on the cake had been when Mary had actually decked the doctor for making Marshall scream in pain, snarling that it was her job to do that.

So, yeah, he was definitely curious but he knew better than to outright ask and now was certainly not the time.

Chuckles had finally sat down and shut his mouth, giving them an opening.

It wouldn't be long before the Feds showed back up and he wanted to get a confession before that.

Maybe if APD made them look like the useless blowhards they were, they'd be gone faster.

_**//////////////**_

She sat across from and just looked at him, watching him shift and look anywhere but her gaze. He was probably expecting her to shoot him. Old Mary certainly would've done it. She would've shot every joint on his body until he screamed soprano for his mama but she was still New Mary. In fact, it seemed like the old and the new were starting to mesh together to make one big Mary and that was awesome. One less thing to worry about.

So, Chucklehead really didn't have a thing to worry about from her. No, he should be worried about the dirt bag that gave him the drugs. She'd bet her pay fro a month that the only reason he had cooperated was to get the hell out of dodge before he found him. Brandi had mentioned a name but it was totally not his real name. If it was, then his mom made her mom look like Mary freakin' Poppins.

"What do you know about Spanky?"

Chuckles jumped and then laughed nervously.

"Is that like a new term for jacking off because if it is, it's a hoot." he joked weakly.

Mary laughed fakely with him for a minute but then clarified, "No, it's your supplier. Brandi told us about him. Well, actually, more like _you_ told us. We pulled her phone records and you mentioned him a lot. Now, I'm praying that Spanky's not his real name because if it is, then he's probably got a temper."

"He does. Neil hates his nickname" he said unthinkingly and then he looked horrified.

Mary grinned and stood up.

"Okay, my job's done. I gotta go. See, my buddy's holding off the Feds outside because if they see me with you, they'll get me yanked off the case or fired." she explained as she opened the door.

"What? Why?"

"Because you got my sister into this shit, numbnuts and Feds being Feds automatically assume that the whole family's dirty. It doesn't help that we are but I've never done anything to get me in prison. There's a good chance that the head agent will find some twisted way to change that stat and it'll be all your fault. Thanks a lot."

She slammed the door and headed out the back.

If she hurried (and if her damned car started), she could check on Marshall before heading back to her wrecked house and her wrecked life.

Even when things totally sucked, he could make it better which was one of the reasons why she cared ab- _**loved**_ him.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: I hate neglecting my writing. It makes me feel irresponsible. School and writer's block took me out and I'm sorry for the delay.**

**Anyway, before my little hiatus, I had started to really get into forming the M/M, which I did. Now, it's time to turn up the heat. From here, it's going to be a slow burn. Well, not too slow.**

**Disclaimer: "Honestly, it's not mine!"**

"Thanks for the room."

"It's no trouble. We're partners. We take care of each other."

"Still, thanks. I…well, I'm trying to be nicer to and appreciate the ones in my life that bother to stick around without raising any hell."

Marshall immediately discerned the pain within her tone and his heart broke a little for her. Mary was so used to being left behind, she expected it. Everyone eventually abandons me, she was saying. Even you will after a while.

He would prove her wrong. He would there for her. He would love her even if he couldn't tell her. His reasons for holding back were real. They were best friends. They were work partners. She didn't feel the same way…well, maybe she did.

There were signs. She was talking to him, _**really **_talking to him and she was more tactile. Sometimes, she'd grab his hand or brush hair out of his eyes when it got mussed. Then, there was the fact was that she had personally seen to his recovery from his bull related injuries. Although, that could be more out of guilt than love…

God, he hated all this insecurity, this limbo they had been stuck in for years. He wanted to be with her fully, not just as a friend, not just as a work partner.

He wanted to be her everything, to be able to touch her the way he desperately wanted to.

A shiver went through him as he remembered the cool silkiness of her hands on his chest, his face…

"Marshall…Earth to Marshall…"

He blinked and met her confused gaze.

"If you're on Cloud Nine right now, you either go and lie down or bring me up with you." she demanded.

Marshall chuckled and then replied wryly, "Then it wouldn't be Cloud Nine. It would be a brand new circle of hell."

She slugged his arm before shoving him out the door, a genuine smile on her face.

_**//////////////**_

Nothing soothed her better than a hot shower.

The only thing that came close was a few hours at the shooting range. Well, that and a shot of Jack. Mary tended to avoid the latter unless it was absolutely necessary. After all, she didn't want to end up like Jinx, a slave to her own desires.

Mary thought that the alcohol was responsible for much of her craziness.

Her behavior over the last few days proved that. After she had been released, Jinx had gone home and had wept at the sight of the house. Not because of the holes in the wall or the insulation hanging down. No, she wept because her entire stash of alcohol was gone, poured out by the Feds in pursuit of more drugs.

Then, of course, there was her reaction to her ending it with Raph for good. A normal mother would've been proud, would've praised her for growing up, for casting off the dead weight. No, not Jinx.

"_**God, Mary, what were you **_**thinking?!**_** He was the only man who could've put up with you and you pushed him away! You destroy everything good that happens to this family! You're an idiot and now, you're going to die alone and dried up!"**_

_Gee, thanks for the support, mom. She would've been happier if I told her I was going to slit my damned wrists…_

On the bright side, it showed how wise Mary had become. Old Mary would've lashed out after that diatribe. She would've gone headfirst into the nearest dangerous job, gotten plastered afterwords (if she were still alive), and would've gone back to Raph, tail between her legs.

Not New Mary. Instead of doing all that, she had merely hung up on her mother mid tirade. Shortly afterwords, she had changed her number and had called a locksmith. Jinx would be unpleasantly surprised to find new locks on the house. Hey, she was still working on it and no Mary, old or new, would tolerate being spoken to like that!

Climbing out of the shower, she wrapped herself in a borrowed towel and headed to the sink. Immediately, she noticed that her toothbrush now had a place next to Marshall's and there was another wall mounted toothpaste dispenser. Putting her finger tip underneath, she was surprised to see the toothpaste she preferred. With a slight smile, she put it on her toothbrush and turned her thoughts to a more pressing matter.

Marshall. As this whole suitcase mess stretched on, he was there for her without complaint, without an ulterior motive. He was there because for some odd reason, he wanted to be. Mary's eyes were opened that fateful morning and she wanted them to stay that way. Simply, she wanted to be with Marshall. She loved Marshall and was painfully obvious that those feelings were a two way street.

_He loves me. I love him. We love each other. Good. So,__** why**__ aren't we together?_

_**Because one of you needs to make the first move. Actually, **_**you **_**do.**_, her ever helpful inner voice replied.

_Me?! Why me?! He's the man in this little to do! Isn't it __**his**__ job to do it?_

_**Normally, yes but this isn't a normal situation. The ball's been in your court for years and since he's been waiting for so long, most likely he doesn't know how to**_** do**_** anything else.**_

_So, I have to give him a swift kick in the ass. Okay, I can do that. You know where the hell he is?_

_**If you don't, I don't. I'm not real. I'm just a part of your psyche that you've been ignoring out of…**_

Great. Now, the voice had been infected with his Zen, _**let the river flow around and under the mountain **_bullshit. If she didn't love the jackass so much, she'd shoot him for it.

_**//////////////**_

"I love you."

The knife nearly sliced his thumb off but he managed to recover enough to look at her wide eyed. A flash of heat went through him at the sight of her towel clad body but he suppressed it quickly.

"Like an $8 whore, right?" he quipped, trying to make light of things, trying not to get his hopes up.

She sighed heavily and replied, "No, like the way those stupid black and white movies you like so much always trumpet, like the way Hallmark makes billions off of, like the way Juliet did before she offed herself for her pedophile boyfriend. I fucking love you, okay?"

Despite being in a towel, her chin was defiantly up and her eyes blazed with determination. She meant what she said. Even so, Marshall could only look at her dumbly, thinking that he'd be waking up any second…

"Well, _**say **_something, you douche bag! I'm freezing, here!"

_Yeah, definitely not dreaming. Carpe Diem, Mann!_

Discarding the knife, he closed the distance between them and forcefully, tenderly, _finally_ kissed her. Mary whimpered (she could whimper?) and kissed back with equal abandon. Her tongue plunged into his mouth and Marshall actually growled (that had never happened before) as he slammed her into the nearest wall.

Tearing his lips from hers, he looked at her. There was a pretty pink blush on her face and her lips were red and swelling already. Her eyes were still serious and it took all he had not to take her against the wall just so he could watch the celery orbs roll into the back of her head.

_There's plenty of time for that._

"Damn.", she finally wheezed, making him grin at her roguishly.

"Damn is an understatement. Mary…you know what this means right? We can't go back after this so if you want out, now…"

Her lips cut him off and his eyes did the rolling, both from the kiss and the sudden brutal smack upside his head. Damn, she could hit hard!

"Of course I mean it! Marshall, I'm a lot of things but I'm not a liar! Well, except for the whole WitSec thing but that so does not count…yeah, I mean it! I'm not going to risk fucking things up between us for anything less!" she snapped indignantly as she shoved him.

Yeah, she meant it. His heart did a mental back flip and he finally let the words he'd been holding back from Day 1 out.

"I love you, Mary."

Her anger abruptly left and she gave him a sad smile, one that was usually reserved for distraught witnesses.

"May God have mercy on your soul. I just hope you feel that way later on. I'm not exactly the domestic, June Cleaver type, you know…"

"June Cleaver scared the hell out of me and I certainly wouldn't mind you being hard on my Beaver."

He couldn't remember a time when she laughed harder and he grinned like a madman as he returned to cooking their dinner.

She loved him.

Holy crap.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: Hey, everyone Now, last time I know I promised a slow burn but as I read back, I realized that I already did that. Besides, they've been waiting long enough. This chapter will consist of a little family drama and sex. Hopefully hot sex. I want to do M&M justice. **

**Disclaimer: "Honestly, it's not mine!"**

Entering the house, she noted two things.

It looked much worse and Jinx had finally gotten back in. She was glaring at her between pulls of scotch but Mary pointedly ignored her. She was here on a mission. Marshall had asked her on an actual date and she wanted to look good for him. Sure, it was just dinner in his kitchen but hey, a date was a date.

Mary entered her room and put down her overnight bag and got out another, loading all she could carry into them. She'd come back for her bedspread later. Marshall said she could stay with him until everything calmed down but even then, she wasn't going to come back here to live.

It was all a part of the old and new uniting. The house was a part of the old, the mediocre, and the self destructive. Staying there would do her no good. Maybe after the FBI bastards repaired it, she'd rent it out or even sell it. She didn't know yet.

"Going back to your _**partner**_, huh?"

Jinx was looking at her with bloodshot eyes and Mary looked at her with disgust.

"I told Brandi that this would happen. Who gave you the scotch?"

"The damned locksmith! What gives you the right to lock me out of…?"

"_**My **_house. I had every right and I still do.", Mary cut her off flatly.

She zipped up the duffel and her mother laughed drunkenly as she followed her towards the door.

"Oh, so you're too good to stay here, now?! Never mind that you're going to let your sister rot in jail, never mind that you cast aside poor Raphael for your almighty job, never mind that the place is damned mess! You're just going to leave like your rat bastard father!"

Turning around, she looked at her mother and felt any loyalty, any obligation she had to her sever. She nodded, keeping her gaze on hers long enough to know that she got past the haze of alcohol.

"Yeah, that's exactly what I'm going to do. You're on your own, mom. Good luck."

With that, Mary left her mother behind, feeling as if yet another heavy burden had been lifted from her. Brandi's mistake, her leaving Raph, her revealing her feelings for Marshall, and now washing of her hands of Jinx had freed her.

It felt pretty damned good.

_**//////////////**_

As he cooked, he heard one of the bar stools move and her settle in.

Turning, he swallowed as he took her in. She had on a dress again but one that was much more Mary like. It was a deep jade and it had a slight v-neck, enough to hint but not show. Her hair was pinned up in a bun and he could see just the slightest amount of makeup. She was lovely, a goddess come down to be with him, to love him.

He still couldn't believe that she actually loved him.

"Well, is this good date gear?"

Marshall could only nod and she smiled.

"Good. What are we eating?"

"Spaghetti. It's my mom's recipe."

"Can I help with anything?"

Looking at her and seeing that she was serious, he gestured for her to join him at the stove. The lump in his throat became a fissure of heat as he took in her long, strong legs exposed by the dress.

"Up here, Pervis." she said wryly.

He met her gaze and she smirked as she took her place at the simmering sauce.

"I need you to stir this. Make sure it doesn't stick." he instructed while handing her a wooden spoon.

She was holding the spoon uncomfortably. Coming behind her, he adjusted her grip unthinkingly. Her gaze went to his hand on her wrist and he made to remove it.

Mary stopped him.

Why would she stop him? Mary didn't like being touched without permission. He knew that. Hell, he had figured it out on their first day as partners. He had gripped her wrist to get her attention and he had ended up with a gun to his chest. What was she doing?

She took the spoon and placed it on a dish towel before turning to face him. Her eyes were glazed over slightly and he could see her pupils dilate. Before he could ask if she was okay, she slid her hands under his button down, making contact with his skin.

He gasped and she murmured, "Sorry. My hands are cold."

"It's not the fact that they're cold. It's the fact that they're on me and I like it."

"Do you?" she teased.

Bringing his own hand to the small of her back, he drew her firmly against him, letting her feel exactly how much he liked it. Mary gasped and then ground her hips against his, sending electricity down his spine.

"Mary…"

Her fingers silenced him. Reaching behind her, she turned the eyes of the stove off and he frowned quizzically.

"Look, you and I both know that food is the last thing that we're thinking about right now. You want to know what I'm thinking about?"

He had a guess.

"I'm thinking about us in bed. I'm thinking about us naked and in bed. Your bed. Do you see where I'm going with this?"

He certainly did.

Moving her fingers away, he captured her lips with his, kissing her for the second time. This time it was softer, sweeter, but just as intense. All of the brutally suppressed heat and passion he felt for this woman were coming to the surface and there was no more fighting or denying.

"Bedroom. Now."

_**//////////////**_

Mary's back hit his mattress and she arched into his ardent kisses on her lips, her neck, anywhere he could reach. He had only been kissing her but it felt like he had been teasing her for hours. She was wet, hot, and aching. Wanting someone so badly it hurt certainly was not a myth.

She made to sit up but his hands on her wrists stopped her.

"Do you trust me?" he asked.

"Yeah. Yeah, I do.", she admitted freely.

"Then let me be in control. I promise you'll like it."

Marshall had never broken a promise to her ever. Why would he start now? With a nod, she stilled and relaxed, signaling her submission to his whims. He let go of her wrists and started pressing kisses to her ankle, working slowly but surely up to the hem of her dress. When he got to it, he pushed it up over her bellybutton, his lips following the exposed skin.

Slowly, he peeled off the sodden scrap of blue lace that used to be her panties and she shivered as he brought them up to his nose.

"You smell delicious, Mary. It makes me wonder if you taste just as good."

Mary whimpered as he nuzzled at the nest of curls shrouding her and two fingers gently parted her lower lips. He sealed his mouth over the exposed skin and licked once, twice…

A wordless cry of pleasure escaped her as he settled in.

_**//////////////**_

If he didn't believe that she was an exotic animal before, he certainly did now.

The noises he was wrenching from her were downright primal and feline. They delighted him almost as much as her taste. She was so sweet, sweeter than he imagined. He had figured with her fire and spice that she would taste like it but it was more like fresh cream and honey. Either way, her flavor was enchanting and he wanted more.

He wanted all of her.

"_Marshall…"_

She was panting and growling, grinding against his face.

Both of his hands went under her taut behind and held her to him, making it easier to suckle on her throbbing nub.

"Marshall…god, Marshall_…__**fuck!**__"_

He knew she'd be loud and brazen in bed. It was Mary, after all.

"Jesus, Marshall! I…._**ungh**_….Marshall, I'm gonna…oh, god…oh _**god**_…_**ah!**_"

He inserted another finger inside her, twisting and stroking in search of that one little spot, the little spot that make her…

"_**Marshall!"**_ she howled before she came with a piercing shriek.

Sealing his mouth over her opening, he drank of her greedily, lapping at her she was water in the desert. She moaned and groaned, her hips bucking against his face until he was sure he'd suffocate. Finally, with a shaky sigh, she calmed, breathing like she had just run a marathon.

Moving away from her core, he continued removing her dress, revealing that she had on no bra. He groaned deeply and quickly shucked off his pants, wanting, _**needing**_ to be inside her. Her shaking hands removed his shirt and then returned to his hair, gripping it for dear life.

"Marshall…god, _please,__** please**_ fuck me, Marshall. Please…"

She was begging for him. No woman had ever…

Draping one of her glorious legs over his shoulder, he buried his face in her bosom just he buried himself into her with one long, smooth stroke.

_**//////////////**_

_Oh…My…__**GOD!**_

Marshall was inside her, all the way inside her and it felt so…damn…_**good!**_ Not only because he filled her to the brim and then some but because it was _**Marshall**_. Her partner, her equal, her best friend was inside her.

Mary felt him shaking from head to toe and she tenderly stroked his cheek, silently urging him to look at her.

He did so and all the breath left her. His eyes were beautiful, fevered and the bluest blue she had ever seen. His hair was standing in every conceivable direction and deep, fast breaths escaped his parted, smiling lips. Here was a man in ecstasy, absolute bliss and it was all her doing.

It was an irresistible aphrodisiac.

Slowly, ever so slowly, he began to move inside her, rocking in and out, sending waves of feeling through her. He was so thick and so long, Mary felt like she was going to split in two. Bringing up her other leg, she gave him free reign of her body, loving him in her, on her.

He had been right. She _**did**_ like giving up control but only to him, _**just **_him because was special.

She loved him so it was okay.

As she got used to him, she began to meet him halfway, resulting in a deep groan of satisfaction to escape him.

"_That's it, honey…show me…show me what I do to you…__**fuck me, Mary**__…"_ he whispered in her ear.

Hearing him swear so hotly, so intimately drove her completely insane. She bucked at him fiercely and he met her halfway like always. They went harder, deeper, slowly increasing their pace. Soon, they were pushing at each other in abandon, screaming and groaning their bliss into the night. She loved this, loved _**him**_…it was perfect.

"I love you." she moaned.

"Say it again." he begged.

"I love you."

"My name…" he urged.

"_**Marshall**_….god, Marshall, I love you… I love you so much…_**love you**_…"

Saying it over and over again, she felt her orgasm rise and boil, making her squirm and buck underneath him. It wasn't in its usual place in her core. It was coming from deep, deep inside her, building and building until…

She fell over the edge with a squeal that became a scream that became a loud, long wail of bliss…

"_**Marshall!"**_

Her legs slid down to his pistoning hips, urging them on. He was growling, moaning, and gasping, his own orgasm impending. She wanted it. She wanted to feel it in her…

"_Come inside me…come inside me, baby…come inside me, __**now**__…"_ she whispered in his ear, nibbling at the lobe.

With a deep, hard thrust, he obeyed her with a roar, his voice choked with passion and tears. Her own were pouring out of her eyes, mixing with his. He was coming hard and long, only one word on his lips as he screamed and screamed…

Mary.


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note: I deeply apologize for letting this fic fall by the wayside. My smut muse had decided to go into hibernation(the first snowfall came over the weekend) but after I saw **_**Secretary **_**(which was an epic win of a movie), it has risen from the grave which is good because Mary and Marshall deserve a nice long naked part, at **_**least**_** 3 chapters. **

**After they're done, I'll be focusing more on the suitcase, Spanky, and I will be bringing in Eleanor. I like her character and I like her with Stan. Plus, I couldn't resist the challenge writing her and Mary's hateship.**

**Disclaimer: "Honestly, it's not mine!"**

He couldn't get enough of her.

Even after the earth shattering climax he had gone through, he was still hard, eager for more. Perfect couldn't even begin to describe her. She was exquisitely tight and silky soft, clinging to him like a glove. Her breathing was ragged yet soft, warm against his shoulder. After his heart stopped racing, he resumed his movements inside her, causing a long, loud moan to escape her.

"How…you're still…Jesus, Marshall…" she babbled as he bottomed out inside her over and over again.

"I'm not done with you, Mary." he replied before swiftly reversing their positions.

A little cry escaped her but she immediately placed two hands on his chest, willing and ready to ride him. She started slowly, gasping and whimpering with each connection but as she got comfortable, she went harder, faster. Electric sensations filled him and he gripped her hips for dear life, groaning with bliss.

"Oh my god…Marshall, I… oh! Ohh, _**fuck**_…"

He cried out in ecstatic pain as her walls convulsed around him, rippling faster and faster in prelude to her orgasm. Mary threw head back and screamed his name like a prayer, sobbing with ecstasy. He rolled them again and muffled her cries with kisses, pounding into her like a jackhammer.

She was delirious beneath him, her maize hair whipping as she tossed her head on his pillow. Her long, elegant fingers ran all over him, burning his skin and sending trails of sweats in their wake. Her eyes were a deep, sharp jade, wide and fevered. Her skin flushed fuchsia and Marshall forced her head still, making her look at him.

"I love you."

Her eyes flashed and she began to pant harder, faster, her moans crescendoing into choked cries as she came yet again.

Marshall growled deep in his chest and joined her in bliss, flooding her with his seed. He ground deep into her, fusing their chests together. He twined her fingers with hers and pinned her hands on either side of her head. She kissed him with smiling, open lips and he drank of her greedily.

She had ruined him. No other woman could compare…

As they stopped kissing, he slid out of her gently, sated for the time being. Mary yawned quietly and stretched fluidly. Marshall put her under the down duvet and joined her, tentatively putting an arm around her. Mary had never struck him as the cuddling type but he couldn't resist spooning her.

To his surprised delight, she pulled his arm over her flat abdomen, encouraging him.

"You can touch me if you want, Marshall. I don't care." she assured him tiredly.

"I thought that you didn't like to be touched."

"I_** don't**_ but you're an exception. Be proud."

"I am.", he replied while sliding a hand down to her hip and subsequently, her ass.

Other than her inner fire and sharp mind, it was his favorite part of her. Many of his late night musings about her had focused on the sway of her hips, the feel of his hands cupping her. He was pleased to know that it really_** did**_ fit perfectly in his hands.

His thumb traced over the mole there fondly and he could feel her smirk into the pillow.

"So, you _**have**_ been ogling my ass. I thought it was just my inner crazy conspiracy theorist."

"No. Why else do you think I insist on having your back? It's for the view." he leered before swatting it hard.

The elbow to his side didn't stop his laughter for a second.


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Note: It is very cold outside so I am in the mood to write something hot and steamy. After this, the plot of the story will return and we'll not only get everyone's reactions, we'll be meeting Eleanor. She's a wonderful addition to the show and I like the possibility of Stan getting some love.**

**Anyway, back to the hot and steamy.**

**Disclaimer: "Honestly, it's not mine!"**

There was something against her back, something warm and heavy. Stretching slowly, Mary felt his arms shift around her, loosening enough for her to wiggle free if she wanted to. It was yet another point in his favor. With Raph, she practically needed a crowbar to get him to let her breathe, much less turn over. Even in slumber, Marshall knew what she needed and took care of her.

Slowly, so she wouldn't disturb him, she turned onto her back, biting back a laugh as the light fur on his body tickled her. Marshall barely stirred and only enough to bury his face in her cleavage fondly. She smirked as last night's little confession came to mind. Apparently, he had a thing for women with curves.

_Well, I got plenty for him._, she thought with womanly pride, wiggling under him.

Lightly, she trailed her fingers through his tangled hair, rumpling it further. When her nails accidentally scraped against his scalp, he purred. Mary rolled her eyes. Who was really the exotic animal here, anyway? Raising his head, she pressed light, butterfly kisses to his moist lips, deciding to be an alarm clock for him.

A low, sleepy growl escaped him as he began to respond, twining his tongue with hers. Even with horrid morning breath, she could still taste the unique tangy sweetness of him. Pulling away, she watched as his eyes drifted open, revealing his baby blues. There were a variety of emotions in his gaze: exhaustion, lust, disbelief, joy…

The most dominant one was love, love for her.

Instead of scaring her, it comforted her and made her happy.

"Morning, Doofus. How'd you sleep?" she greeted.

He brushed her hair out of her eyes and pressed a kiss to her brow.

"Like a baby." he replied in a hoarse, just woke up tone that sent tingles straight to her clit.

Damn, how blind was she? There had been a Sex God so obviously in love with her from Day 1 and she's just _**now**_ seeing it? She felt like an idiot. As she thought back, she felt rage at herself, pity for him, and a whole lot of regret… God, because her being a dumbass, they had wasted so much time!

"It's okay, Mare. We're together, now." he comforted with a squeeze of her hip.

She looked at him incredulously and sighed heavily at the knowing look in his eyes.

"Are you psychic, now?"

"No. I just know you. The past is like a chemical reaction. It can't be undone. The present is what matters and _**presently**_..."

Mary moaned as he gently parted her legs and she wrapped them around his waist, ready and willing to accept him. After all, there was no sense in wasting a perfectly good morning wood.

"…we're together, naked, and don't have to be in until noon."

With a shift of his hips, he was back inside her, sending warm shivers through her. He groaned through clenched teeth. God, he barely fit inside her, touching all those places that other men had never been able to reach. Mary arched her hips forward, meeting him halfway. He ground against her as soon as he touched her cervix, making her groan with need.

Digging her heels into his back, she held on tight as he leisurely took her, shifting until he found just the right angle to stimulate her. Her growls of delight caused him to smile around her nipple, twisting his tongue like a snake over the bud. Mary quivered as he switched the neglected one, massaging both of her breasts. Never had it felt so good to be touched there.

His hands were just the right size, the right texture, and he knew what he was doing. Ooh, did he know what he was doing! She cried out as he twisted both nipples between thumb and index fingers, sending shocks of painful pleasure down to her clenching channel. Marshall let out a heavy groan as became even tighter and he brought a hand up to the headboard. The metal clanged ominously and she hurriedly glanced up at it, images of the bed collapsing filling her head.

Mary was quite sure that it wouldn't be as hilarious in reality.

"What the hell are you doing?" she gasped.

"Leverage.", he simply replied before thrusting even harder inside her, making her see not just stars but whole galaxies.

Dimly, she could hear a scream worthy of the punk rock scene and feel her nails dig into his back but she was more focused on coming. God, it felt **so** good. Marshall…

A shout of pleasure entered her haze and she felt her body light on fire as his thick seed coated her walls, sucked up by her greedy body. Normally, she didn't let men come inside her but as always, Marshall was the exception. She trusted him with everything else. Why shouldn't she trust him with her body?

He collapsed on top of her and she grunted with the impact, wrapping her limbs around him like an octopus when he tried to get off of her with an apology. Irritated, Mary glared up at him. If she wanted him off, she'd tell him, damn it! With an annoyed huff, she quickly reversed their positions, taking the wind out of him with a gasp.

Didn't they already go over this last night? Men. Once they got laid, they stopped listening, even the Doofuses.

"Listen to me because I'm only going to tell you this once without a bullet:_** I like having you on me, whether we're **_**in **_**bed, **_**about to be**_** in bed, or **_**thinking**_** about being in bed**_. If I want you off me, I'll tell you but unless I've completely fucked up my ribs, that's not going to happen. Within reason, you can touch me whenever and however it suits your perverted fancy. I'm not going to rip your face off, okay?"

"Yes, Mistress." he replied with his usual shiteating grin. "But, what's within reason?"

"Not in front of Stan, not when dealing with witnesses and not in a car. I don't want Bobby D. seeing what I'm working with. Other than that, you're fine."

"I don't want him or anyone else seeing what you're working with, either." he grumbled, putting a possessive arm around her waist.

_Oooh, jealous Marshall…me likey…._

The loud grumble of her stomach cut off any possibilities for another round and he shook with silent laughter underneath her.

"Shut up and feed me."

"You have to get off me first."

"Make me.", she challenged.

A completely girly squeal escaped her as he sat up and flipped her to the other side of the bed on her back, causing her to laugh while flipping him off.

He signed double, saluted her, and went out the bedroom door, naked as the day he was born.

She shook her head and pulled the comforter over her head, grinning like a loon.

This being in love with her best friend thing was shaping up to be the best thing that had ever happened to her.


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note: I suck at updating. Almost all of my WIPs have been on deep freeze for ages and it's so mean to you guys. I'm sorry. RL has been a bitch and a half lately but now I'm on a much needed Winter Break until the 23****rd**** so I will have time for unwinding and writing. **

**Now, that Mary and Marshall are certainly a couple, I can get back into the nitty gritty of the story: namely The Suitcase. Not only will I be reintroducing the case, I will be introducing Eleanor. All Spanish is courtesy of Google Translate and if Eleanor's husband's name is wrong, please tell me that I may fix it.**

**Disclaimer: "Honestly, it's not mine!"**

Eleanor Prince took in her surroundings as Inspector McQueen found her a desk. The room was broad and spacious, letting in just the right amount of sunlight. She wasn't used to so much sunlight. Her area in Phoenix had been in a basement and dark. Her husband has…had always referred to it as The Dungeon but things were different in Albuquerque. She had plenty of sun…and no John.

Forcibly, she bit back the tears and placed her box of stuff on the desk, laying them out in the same way she had during her last assignment. It would provide a little comfort and stability.

"Mrs. Prince…"

"Eleanor. Mrs. Prince was my mother in law." she corrected unconsciously.

"Eleanor, I'd like to talk to you about my inspectors. Actually, it's more like warning you. Don't get me wrong, Mary and Marshall are very competent but they're…volatile." he said with a blend of fondness and weariness.

That made her look up into his big brown eyes and ask, "Volatile? How so?"

"_Give them back, you jerk!"_

A brunette man at about 6'2 bolted into the area with a 5'11 blonde woman hot on his heels. The woman tackled him and they ended up wrestling on the floor until he was pinned beneath her, hands held tight. Eleanor was torn between laughter and calling security but she decided to let it play out. Judging by Stan's demeanor, things like this were normal…

"Morning, Stan. Morning, Person I Don't Know. Where are they, Doofus?!" the woman greeted before snarling at her struggling captive.

"_Yo no hablo Inglés. Español, por favor."_, "Doofus" replied between chuckles.

"_Sí, usted habla Inglés, imbécil! Ahora, los entreguen!"_ the woman replied stridently.

"Since when did you speak Spanish, Mare?" he asked while turning his head towards them.

"Since 4th grade! Now, seriously, where did you put them?"

"Put what?" Stan asked wearily. "Marshall, what the hell did you steal from her?"

He sounded more like a father than a boss, another indication that this was a completely different environment than she was used to.

"He stole my sunglasses and he won't give them back!" Mary answered for him, twisting his wrists in the classic Indian burn.

To Eleanor's (and Mary's) surprise, the man broke out of her grip easily and soon had her pinned down by the wrists, one leg between hers. The woman's struggles ceased immediately as he slid his hands down to her forearms, keeping them down on the tile. Eleanor could sense the familiarity in the position and she arched a Spock worthy brow as the dots were connected.

_**Volatile**__, indeed! They're __**lovers!**__ No, best friends just turned lovers…_**this**_ should be interesting._

"_Cabrón!_", Mary gasped, causing Eleanor to blush.

She didn't know much Spanish but what she just called him was _**definitely **_not nice.

Marshall merely smiled serenely at her and pulled a pair of sunglasses out of his front pocket, putting them in her hair gently.

"_Hay que ir, cariño. Ahora juegue limpio con la chica nueva."_ he said sweetly as he stood up.

"_Gracias y no promete, Memo. _Who's this and why's she here, Stan?" Mary asked as she caught her breath.

"This is Eleanor Prince. She's a former FBI administrator from Phoenix here to help us out. I expect you both to treat her kindly and with patience."

"That means no mauling her, Mary." Marshall said cheekily before getting sent to the floor by her foot knocking his legs out of place.

"I won't, Marshall. I have class and manners unlike you, Mr. Glasses Stealer."

"Class and manners. _**Riight.**_.." he drawled ala Dr. Evil as he sat at his desk.

"You know what, Cowboy…"

As another round of bickering began, Stan led her back into his office, closing the door on the now laughing duo.

"Like I said, they're volatile."

"Yeah. They're also in love. They act more like spouses than partners."

Stan chuckled and replied, "You'll get used to them after a while."

She had no doubts about that. Somehow, she knew that she had found her niche here.

Albuquerque would be good for her.

_**//////////////**_

Neil "Spanky" Carson was pissed off.

More importantly, he was worried.

One of his boys in New Mexico told him that Johnson had been arrested and all the crank with him seized. He also said that Johnson's girlfriend's sister was some sort of Fed, making things infinitely more complicated.

The drugs and the mule had could replace easily but Johnson was now a loose end, a loose end that could unravel the whole damned quilt. The solution was to kill the rat before the cops could track him down but how? How would he get rid of Johnson when he was under 24/7 supervision?

"What's the matter, baby?" a sleepy voice asked from the couch.

Rachel was his ideal girlfriend, submissive and she didn't ask any prying questions. Since she was high most of the time, she barely noticed if he left to take care of business and she was up for anything, sexually or otherwise. Maybe _**she**_ could offer a solution…

"I got a problem. You remember Johnson?"

"Umm…Jersey Boy, right? He…he was supposed to do some business in New Mexico w-with some Bunny chick."

"Brandi, actually and he's been caught. The girl's sister found the crank and turned them both in."

"You- you gotta kill him, Spanky. He c-could send you to jail!" she bit out desperately.

"I _**know**_ that but he's on lock down. How am I supposed to get at him?"

She sat up and for once, Spanky could see a spark of brilliance in her eyes instead of the dazed glaze.

"Pay a cop off and then have your boy kill him. It shouldn't be too hard." Rachel suggested before succumbing again to the drugs.

That could work.

_**//////////////**_

"Is she always so…!"

She was unable to speak so she just groaned and clenched her hands like they were around Mary's throat.

"Rude? Bitchy? Crazy?"

_**"Yes!"**_

"Yep. That's Mary for you."

Eleanor shook her head with confusion and asked, "Then why haven't you shot her or something?"

Marshall chuckled and replied, "Because then I'd miss her. She's my partner and my best friend. I take the bad and the good and yes, there _**is**_ good in her. A whole lot of it, really. She just needs to get to know you and trust you before she shows it. Have faith and patience, Eleanor."

"You really _**do**_ love her, don't you?" she asked wearily.

"Yeah. It's a wonderful blessing and a horrible curse for the price of one." he replied with a bright smile.

Eleanor laughed and got back to work, only to have Mary slam the door open with a snarled, "Son of a _**fucking bitch!**_"

"What's the matter? The gun shop's out of ammo?" she snarked.

"No, _**worse!**_ Chucklehead's _**dead!**_ Somebody stabbed him in his cell!"

Marshall stood up immediately and Mary buried her face in his chest, proving Marshall's point. Eleanor could see worry and gut wrenching sadness on her face, along with the rage.

"Who's Chucklehead and why's he so important?" she asked.

"He was my sister's crank peddling idiot ex boyfriend. He got her into a huge drug deal and they got caught, thanks to me. There's some guy named Spanky who's the big fish and Chucklehead was a key witness against him so he had him wiped out, putting Brandi's and my asses back in the line of fire!"

"O'Connor's been trying to pin this all on Mary and her sister since he showed up here." Marshall added.

"O'Connor? As in _**Robert**_ O'Connor?" Eleanor asked incredulously.

"You know him?" Stan asked.

"Not personally but I've seen his file. He got transferred out West after his partner got shot. They switched shifts that day but nobody knows exactly why. The water cooler rumor is that he was with his partner's wife and they weren't exactly moving furniture if you know what I mean. Well, technically they could. I mean, headboards usually aren't very sturdy…"

Mary broke into giggles and Eleanor was surprised to see Marshall blushing like a tomato.

"I don't want to know what that's about, do I?" she asked Stan while moving a finger between them.

"Nope. So, if he's got guilt with him, then he's looking for redemption…"

"..By any means necessary even if it means sending Medusa here and her sister up the river on trumped up charges. Now, if you guys can give me some background and some time, I _**might**_ be able to yank the carpet out from under him and get him out of town."

Mary looked at her with unreadable eyes and asked, "You'd do that for me?"

Eleanor nodded and said, "I may not like you but I don't want you and your sister to get screwed over because of a jackass like O'Connor."

"Oh. Well…thanks. I guess you're not so evil after all."

That was the Mary equivalent of an olive branch and Eleanor accepted it gracefully as she turned her monitor back on, ready for her new task.

"Just because I'm a positive and stable human being doesn't mean I'm evil. Now, let's take this guy down, shall we?"

* * *

**~ Spanish to English Translations ~**

"_Yo no hablo Inglés. Español, por favor."_

(I don't speak English. Spanish, please)

"_Sí, usted habla Inglés, imbécil! Ahora, los entreguen!"_

(Yes, you do speak English, imbecile! Now, hand them over!)

"_Cabrón_."

(Fucker!)

"_Hay que ir, cariño. Ahora juegue limpio con la chica nueva."_

(Here you go, sweetheart. Now, play nice with the New Girl.)

"_Gracias y no promete, Memo"_

(Thanks and No Promises, Doofus)


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Note: Woo, new season! I'm so happy that they didn't kill Mary but I was kind of sad to see her still with Raph. I'm keeping my fingers and toes crossed that TPTB will fix that but other than, the premiere was kickass. **

**Another thing that's kickass is that my family and I are not going to be homeless after the summer. I will still need to go on a hiatus soon (See HEADS UP, YOU GUYS on my profile) but it won't be nearly as long I thought it would be.**

**Disclaimer: "Honestly, it's not mine!"**

He found her in the kitchen, actually cooking breakfast.

She had on his Black Knight t-shirt (It's Just A Flesh Wound!) and she was focused on making what seemed to be an omelet on Steroids. A white Styrofoam plate/bucket thing was nearby, steadily being filled with toast, yogurt and sliced fruit, along with a turkey sandwich.

Marshall knew that he'd get an explanation soon so he just sat down at the counter.

Mary placed a fully loaded plate in front of him and kissed his brow in greeting before getting back to work.

"Breakfast is one of the few things I can make without causing a mushroom cloud. I'm bringing some for Squish." she explained as she put the completed omelet in the Styrofoam.

"And the sandwich?"

"Habit. It was easier to put the breakfast and the lunch together so she'd be able to eat all day without worrying. The teachers already knew that Jinx had issues so they didn't mind letting her use the microwaves. Do you have a thermos around here?"

"3rd cabinet on the right." he supplied as he cut into his own omelet.

It was chockfull of meat and veggies and cheese. A kick of salsa tied the hodgepodge of ingredients together and gave it color. The first bite went down like a delicious brick. He wouldn't be hungry for the rest of the day after this. Mary took good care of her own, something that endeared him to her even further. She still cared about loyalty in an overall disloyal world. It was refreshing…and more than a little hot.

She slid a glass of pomegranate juice toward him and emptied the rest of the bottle into an ice filled thermos. Gently, she placed it into a large paper sack, covered with hand drawn stars. An image of a young Mary, drawing all over the bag in an attempt to make things a little better made him smile.

"I'm glad you're coming with me. If I had to deal with Jinx _**and**_ Raph _**and**_ O'Connor by myself, I'd bust a vein." Mary said as she took a fork to his food as always.

"What the hell is Raphael coming for?"

"Moral support, I guess. He better not cause any trouble and if he even _**looks**_ at you wrong, I'm making his spleen into a bracelet."

Marshall snorted ruefully and pointed out, "Seeing you happy with someone else isn't going to be a walk in the park for him. Believe me, I know."

Once Raph became more than a One Week Stand, it had been torture to hear her talk about him or to see him around her. It made Marshall feel ill, not only because was the man completely wrong for Mary but also because he got to touch her, to kiss her, and to be the Boyfriend. Raph had made him sick with jealousy and he wouldn't wish the pain of being without her on anyone, even the Spanish Bull that gave him road rash.

That didn't mean that he was letting her go anytime soon, though.

"Raph didn't make me happy, Marshall. Sure, he got me off and he could make me laugh but I wasn't really happy with him. I'm really happy with you, though and honestly, well…you do it better..." she corrected with a wiggle of her eyebrows.

That did it. Standing, he crossed to her and slung her over his shoulder like a caveman, delighting in her laughing struggles.

He'd show her just how much he liked getting her off.

_**//////////////**_

"I made you some food, Squish. Damn, you look like crap."

Brandi smiled weakly at her sister and started in on her Super Omelet Special.

Mary had started making them when she had started 4th grade and their mom's drinking had really taken off. Sometimes, it was the only meal she had all day. She had even brought her POM juice. To have decent food after weeks of slop was blessing from heaven. And speaking of blessings…

"It's about time you two got together. It was an accident waiting to happen. Just like a Sorority/ Frat mix at Mardi Gras." she praised with a nod towards Marshall.

Mary laughed and Brandi's smile gained a little strength before the sense of impending doom returned to her. How was Mary going to get through this intact?

"O'Connor's not backing down, Mare. I know I fucked up. I deserve to be punished for the fuck up but not you. Why's he after you, anyway? You didn't do anything but turn the drugs over. You're innocent. Well, at least in the legal way."

Marshall snorted and Brandi winced as Mare slugged him in the arm.

"I know, Squish. When he comes in, just stay cool. I'll get this straightened out. You may do time but not nearly as much as O'DickFace wants."

Now it was Brandi's turn to laugh.

_**//////////////**_

"_Get your hand off of my ass, Pervis!"_

"_My hand isn't on your ass, it's on your hip. __**Now**__…"_

He watched as the man literally took a handful of her ass and was surprised to hear her laugh instead of snarl.

"…_it's on your ass."_

"_More like __**in**__ my ass."_ she grumbled as she wiggled closer.

"_If only I hadn't left my Astroglide in my other pants…"_

Pained, Raph looked away from Mary and Marshall, focusing on the root beer in his hand. He had never been able to get that response from her. Sure, he could get her hot and pleasure her but she had never dropped her guard this way. She was smiling, giggling, and Marshall's hand remained on her ass. Raph knew for a fact that if he tried something like that, he would get a fist to the gut.

"**What are you doing? We're in public, for chrissakes! Grope me in private like a normal man!"**

He had been too normal for her. He didn't understand her and the more he tried to, the further apart they drifted. If he were honest with himself, it had been over long before Brandi had done this foolish thing. Mary didn't want or need him.

It was always Marshall.

It would always be Marshall.

"_Eleanor's on her way with the file. She says it's more than enough to get O'Connor out of town and possibly out of the FBI."_

"_The fucker can __**keep**__ his job for all I care! I just want him to leave Squish alone and go far away! Like Canada or something!"_

"_Well, this should do it. What happens next?"_

"_With Squish? She's probably going to do probation and finally grow the hell up. With Jinx? I don't know. I don't really care. As long as she's not on life support, I don't see why I should bother with her. With us? Well, what we're doing is working out pretty good. I meant what I said, Marshall. I fucking love you and I'm not going anywhere without you. Just because the shit that got us together is ending doesn't mean __**we**__ are."_

As painful as was to hear her say the words he had been fighting for to another man, Raph couldn't help but smile as he left the police station.

Marshall made Mary happy. That was enough for him.

_**//////////////**_

Jinx sat next to her daughters, feeling like a 3rd wheel.

She was used to Mary hating her. She had hated her for years because of the drinking and the dreams that her rat bastard father had planted in her head. That was nothing new. What was new was that Brandi was on Mary's side and not hers. Things were changing more every day and Jinx didn't know what to do. She couldn't lose her family…

"So, is the house still empty?"

"Yeah. I'm going to fix it up and sell it." Mary replied without even bothering to look at her.

"Oh. Well, that's…nice. But what about Brandi? After all this dies down, she's going to need a place to stay."

_**She**_ would need a place to stay. The small apartment she had found was simply unbearable! There were loud neighbors roaches and the nearest liquor store was 10 blocks away. Living there was akin to cruel and unusual punishment.

"She can stay with Mary and I. There's a spare room." Marshall supplied from his corner, making Jinx look at Mary in surprise.

"You…you're living with Marshall?"

"Yep. I pay rent with sarcasm and sex worthy of Skinemax. It's a lovely arrangement."

She had no idea how much bourbon she would need later to erase that image from her mind. Jinx didn't understand. She had been with Raphael for years and she had never considered living with him or vice versa. How could Marshall get her to do it within weeks without a fight? How long had they _**really**_ been together, anyway? They could've been together from the start and Raph could've just been a cover, a ruse to keep their precious partnership intact.

Her suspicion was plain as day on her face and that was it for Marshall. He got in her face immediately, glaring at her like the gum under his tacky cowboy boots.

"Really?! Really, Jinx?! You really think that lowly of your daughter as to think she'd cheat on Raph with me?! Or that I'd let her?! You know, not everyone has a skewed moral compass like you! Of course, when you consistently drink your body weight in Cuervo, the mind starts to go faster!" Marshall snarled.

"How _**dare**_ you talk to me like that?! You have no right…" Jinx sputtered as she stood up.

"He has every goddamned right! Not only are you making Mary out to look like a skank, you're messing with him too! What's the matter with you?! Why can't you just leave people alone?!"

"Brandi…"

"For god's sake, Mom! Just sit down and shut up! There's already enough crap going on here without you adding to it!" Mary snapped.

They were all ganging up on her. It wasn't fair. They didn't understand the hell she always went through, the pain…

"Oh, it's always _**my**_ fault! _**I'm**_ the bad parent! _**I'm**_ the bad guy! It's not like you don't screw up, Mary!"

Jinx had expected to be slapped after that or least for the yelling to continue. Instead, Mary took a deep breath and if she didn't know better, she would swear that she was looking at a New Mary, not the abrasive one she was used to. Her next words sent icy daggers through her.

"I may screw up but at least I try to fix it. At least I don't drag the ones that bother to give a damn about me down with me. I don't run away from it and I don't use alcohol as a damned eraser. Grow the hell up. You're damned near 60 and you act worse than a teenager. No wonder me and Squish are so messed up. Look who we have for examples: a coward who ran from his family and his fuck ups and a washed up, self absorbed, drunken piece of shit. You're a disgrace: a failure as a mother and as a human being. No amount of yelling and finger pointing will ever change that."

Jinx felt like she was punched repeatedly in the gut. No one, not even James, had ever been so brutally honest with her. She knew that Mary was right. She knew that but to acknowledge it out loud would open the Box, the Box where she put all the pain and the sadness. She had to get out. She had to…

The door opened and in walked Agent O'Connor.

Running would have to wait.


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's Note: There are many reasons why this fic has been on deep freeze but they would take up a whole chapter on their own. I've been watching the show every week and I'm pissed that they replaced Raph with that D-Bag Faber, not to mention the creepy brother from another mother angle they're going with. I shudder to think about what hell Brandi has inadvertently brought down upon Albuquerque but I digress.**

**Let's get back to the action.**

**Disclaimer: "Honestly, it's not mine!"**

Mary laid out crime scene photos, one after the other, noting how O'Connor paled when each one hit the table. She couldn't blame him. If she had to look at crime scene photos with her dead Doofus in them, she wouldn't be able to handle it. Marshall was the only true friend she had and damn it, she loved him before they even started doing naked things together. He was her partner in every way and she fucking needed him like she needed air and ammo.

"Special Agent Gregory Cooke. He had been a fine G-Man for 7 years and was looking to retire with his wife to his native Savannah. Unfortunately, he was shot and killed during a routine warrant execution last July. His vest was left in his issued SUV…" she began flatly.

"I don't see what this has to do with your sister's drug trafficking, Shannon!" O'Connor snapped between nervous glances at the bully attorney and the G-Men he had brought with him.

"…which was not on the scene. His partner, Special Agent Robert O'Connor had it with him while he was at a doctor's appointment during the day. He had switched shifts with his partner in order to go get checked out or rather to play doctor with his best friend's wife. While Cooke was lying on a filthy warehouse floor bleeding out, his partner was across town in a Zorro mask, drilling into his wife…"

"This isn't relevant!"

"…and instead of calling down hell upon everyone, Cooke's last words were Tell Bobby I'm sorry. I'm sorry for dying on him. But, _**you**_ are the one that should be apologizing, O'Connor! You let him die!"

"Shannon…!"

She stood up and got dead in his face, packing every ounce of rage she had into a withering glare, silencing the bastard firmly…

"You let _**your partner**_ _**die**_ just so you could get off! He took 3 to the chest for your sorry ass and _**he**_ apologized to _**you?**_ It's should be the other way around, you sorry sack of shit! You killed him..."

"And you knew that!" Marshall took over. "You _**knew**_ that you were responsible for your partner's death! Now, granted, you may not have pulled the trigger but your actions put a very big bull's eye on him. You put him in the line of fire because you were a selfish, callous human being. You did it and everyone else knew it too. That's why you transferred out here. You couldn't take the whispers, the accusing looks, and his wife cast you to the wolves as soon as the ink dried on the death certificate. After all, what did she need with a boy toy now that her husband's gone? She didn't need your attentions anymore…"

O'Connor sputtered and Mary picked the monologue back up, enjoying the way he was sweating…

"…so, months later, you're stuck riding a desk, unable to get your partner's voice out of your head. You had nightmares of him asking you why. Why did you sleep with his wife? Why weren't you with him during that search? Why did you let him die without a fight? **You don't do that!** If you're partner's dying, then you do anything and everything you can to try to prevent it! That's the first thing they fucking teach you at any academy! But, by then, it was too late. Cooke was gone. So what could you do? How could you silence the voices so that you finally sleep at night?"

"You took this case because you needed to make a career boosting splash because in your mind, that'll make everything better. So, you trumped up charges on a minor player and you pursued a US Marshall, hell bent on connecting her to the suitcase. After all, Dirty Cops are never forgotten and the ones who take them down are hailed as heroes. Cooke would be so proud to know…" Marshall zinged coolly.

"Shut up! Both of you! Just…!" O'Connor finally roared, tears threatening in his eyes.

Anyone could see that they were telling the truth and that O'Connor's credibility amounted to a ton in a half ton bag. The representative from DOJ stalked out, his cell phone in his hand reporting a "problem in the Shannon case".

They didn't have a Shannon case. They never would.

"Just what?" they both demanded.

Silence fell in the room and with a last hateful and regret filled look at the room's occupants, he walked out, his lackeys following.

Mary knew defeat when she saw it so she wasn't surprised when the lawyer suddenly cleared his throat.

"Arrangements will be made for a deal by tomorrow morning."

And just like that, it was done. Well not completely. After all, there was the issue of Spanky to deal with but the point was that Squish would not go to prison for the rest of her natural life.

It wasn't a Career Boasting Splash but it was still damned awesome.

Brandi looked at them both and mouthed, "Thank You." as the tears slid down her face.

Mary hugged her and against her will, tears fell from her own eyes.

They were tears of relief.


	14. Chapter 14

**Author's Note: If I had a dick, then the **_**In Plain Sight**_** writers could suck it until next season. Even after writing the correct ending in **_**Messy**_** (thanks for your support, guys!), I am still utterly infuriated and in order to balance out the unholiness that is Faber, I will write the unholiness (but much more sensible) of Mary and Marshall.**

**This is a chapter of slow, loving sex and playful M&M and I hope you guys enjoy it. You know what, I've got more ideas for fixing the idiocy and the sequel to **_**Messy**_** should be up by the end of the day. **

**Disclaimer; "Honestly, it's not mine!"**

They lay in the wreckage of their bed, sweaty, panting, and nowhere near satisfied with each other. Mary wasn't sure what was with them tonight but if she had to hazard a guess, she'd say that they were relieved. Brandi wasn't going to jail and O'Connor was bowing his head in shame on a plane back to Quantico. Now that they were _**together**_, they could celebrate that victory with earth shattering sex instead of pie and scotch in the office.

They'd do that in the morning, anyway.

She brushed against him and he responded immediately, hardening against her quivering belly. Marshall was like a taller, gun toting Energizer Bunny when it came to sex. She could literally come up to him and say "You, me, closet NOW" and instead of going down his prudish route, he would be like "No, you, me, _**floor**_ NOW." delighting her. And he also loved to grab her at work, drag off in a corner, and kiss her hard and fast like they were about to be caught by the firing squad until she was flushed and trembling.. Sweet Jesus, her man…

Her Doofus was a Sex God. Her Sex God. Her insatiable, curve obsessed…oh, my god…

Her nails went to his shoulders and scratched yet again, deepening the marks from earlier as he slid inside her slowly but forcefully. Mary hissed as he sank his teeth into her neck and left yet another hickey to join the ever present ones. Unlike other women, she let those bad boys show. Yeah, she was taken and yeah he was a biter. Whatever, let's deal with these witnesses and move on with life.

Moving his face out of her throat, she slid her fingers into his hair, defiantly mussing the immaculately combed strands until he looked like Sonic and Medusa had a baby. He gave her lightly scolding look but accepted her kiss with smiling, open lips. Sex with Marshall was fun and passionate and it reaffirmed their connection. It wasn't a chore or a means to an end. "I love you and I want to show you" was what it was.

Marshall moaned into her mouth as she began to swivel her hips in figure eights and he hitched her legs up higher around his torso, deepening his reach. Mary's toes curled into the sheets as delicious pleasure built up in her and she came with a loud yell, hitting her head on their headboard. An amused chuckle left him but that became a strangled groan of release as she bucked up against his hot spot.

They collapsed into an exhausted lump of limbs and he wrapped his arms around her tightly, looking at her like she had just rocked his world.

"Jesus…" he rasped.

"No, I'm Mary. Jesus and Joseph are with the camel." she replied with a dumb grin.

"You've been saving that, haven't you?" Marshall laughed.

"I think it's one of my best ones."


	15. Chapter 15

**Author's Note: I am on a complete M&M attack right now. The outright rage has been replaced by a drive to compensate for TPTB's failure to launch. It's all about righting the wrong, right now. I won't forget about my other WIPs or my SSS Project but my main focus is going to continuing this one and writing more for IPS until next season...if we get a next season. We _better_ get one!  
**

**This chapter is more Brandi centric than M&M, although they're definitely in the background and we'll get to meet Peter. Peter has been a wonderful addition to the show and although I originally wanted Brandi and Raph to get together, I've come to the conclusion that Peter's better for not only sexual matters but he's good for her emotionally.**

**We also get to meet Faber next update. Yeah, Faber. Now, don't get pissed! I'm not going to do what Season 3 did, I promise! It's going to be a different case and everything! It's what my muse wants, okay? Plus, I want to see how he would deal with an **_**established**_** M&M. I'm thinking that Marshall could shoot him the ass later on, either him or Mary. For real,you guys will totally like it in the end  
**

**I'm also working on a new Pretty Long Oneshot, an angsty aftermath and Season 4 fix of the unholy Vacation. It should be up by the end of the week.**

**Disclaimer: "Honestly, it's not mine!"**

She had started going to the library again.

It was something to do and gave her something positive to focus on. Brandi loved to read and not just girly magazines. The library had been a Safe Place when she was little and she still had that feeling when she came in for the day. She could read, use the computer, and even sleep (as long as she didn't snore). The best part was that was within walking distance from Mary and Marshall's so she didn't have to drive to it.

Plus, it made being on the wagon easier. Jinx had left the interrogation room after everyone had gone off on her and had gotten stinking drunk. She had been found singing show tunes in the park at 3AM in nothing but her bra and panties. Fortunately, it was that cool Bobby guy that Mary sometimes worked with that found her so Jinx hadn't been raped or worse.

She had been sent to Rehab up in Denver, though. Brandi had researched the place and it was very nice but she knew that it would be hard as hell for Jinx to stay sober and confined from her family. Brandi didn't want that to happen to her. So, she had politely asked that Mary and Marshall help her stay sober. Marshall had found her an AA meeting and Mary had poured out all the booze in their house. Well, not all of it. There were a couple of bottles of scotch put up very high in an old gun safe. It was more trouble than it was worth to get to them even if she wanted to and she didn't want to.

Right now, even the smell of alcohol made her want to throw up.

The AA meetings were intense and Brandi normally sat in the far back, listening but not contributing. She took notes, though. The leader was very nice and gentle with the addicts, never demeaning them or yelling when they relapsed. Plus, he was really cute.

His name was Peter Alpert. He was not only the leader of the group but he literally owned half of Albuquerque. It was eye opening. Money didn't make anyone immune to the problems that humans faced. They got sad and angry and lonely and the stomach flu and yes, even addicted to drugs, both hard and gateway. The near mystical awe of rich people that Jinx had taught her was stupid and untrue. It was refreshing to know but she was still a little scared to talk to him. He made her feel weird. Not a bad weird but a confusing weird…

She collided with someone and she immediately apologized, going for their dropped books.

"It's okay, Brandi. It _**is**_ Brandi, right?"

Peter! He was here! He knelt down with her and she found herself riveted by his kind gaze. It was genuinely kind like Marshall's but Peter's made her heart start to beat faster.

"Y-yeah.", she stuttered shyly. "Here you go."

Her trembling fingertips brushed against his wrist and it felt like electricity was surging through her veins. That had never happened before, not even with Chuck. When she went to move them away, he stopped her gently.

"I've been trying to work up the nerve to talk to you, you know? In my years in working with AA, I've never met someone so determined to get past their addiction. You even take notes with a light up, sparkle pen." Peter said with a smile.

She giggled and replied, "I lose pens a lot so I get crazy ones so people can give them back to me more easily and…I'm not really addicted to alcohol. Okay, that's a lie but it was like the beginning stages, you know? My mom's the one that's really messed up and I don't want to be where she's at now. And if Mary can do better, I can too."

"Mary?"

"My big sister. She's taken care of me as long as I can remember and that's really messed her up too. Not like addiction messed up but more like always sad and stressed and more than a little self destructive messed up. She used to settle for okay stuff instead of fighting for the good stuff she really deserved but she made it better. Marshall's made it awesome. He's like her best friend and they got together a few months ago. She's never been happier and I want that too. I figured that the best way to start would be to nix the drinking."

Why she felt so comfortable sharing this with him was beyond her but Peter seemed to get through her defenses like a ninja. A gentle ninja but a ninja, all the same.

"I hope it works out, Brandi. Um…"

"Can I give you my number?" she blurted out stupidly.

"I was just about to stutter a request for it. Do you have any paper?", he replied eagerly.

"Screw paper. Give me your arm."

Pulling out a sparkling lime green pen, she rolled up his sleeve (noting silently the faint scars) and neatly wrote her name and number in shiny ruby and sapphire ink. His laughter was gentle and she giggled with him as she blew the ink dry. Goosebumps rose on the skin immediately and she looked up at him shyly, smiling at the light blush on his cheeks.

Whatever the weird feelings this guy made her feel were, she really hoped they didn't end anytime soon.

_**/**_

"Guys?"

"Hey, Squish. What do you need?"

Mary was sitting happily on his lap in the home office, playing with his Rubik's cube as he typed on his beast of a computer. It could hack into the damned Pentagon and make sandwiches, for Christ's sake…

"Can you guys do a background check on someone for me?"

Marshall gave her the "nyah, nyah, I was right" look over his readers and asked knowingly, "Peter?"

"Yeah. I did a little research on my own and he seemed to check out but I want to be _**sure**_ he's not another Chuck. He…I really like him and he makes me feel weird. Not like bad weird but all tingly and awkward and giggly weird…can you just do it, please?"

Mary swatted him on the back of the head as he started softly humming The Song and replied, "We'll have for you by morning."

"Thanks! Good night!" Brandi called before heading to her room.

Marshall turned his head to her and gave her a slow, lip peeling baboon grin.

"Shut up.", she said flatly.

"I was right and you were wrong. That is why I sing this song…" he sang unrepentantly, even as she started whacking him with the half finished cube.

"I hate you!" she laughed.

"No, you don't!" he chuckled with the same stupid grin.

"I hate you right now!"


	16. Chapter 16

**Author's Note: It's a very good thing that I've planned an SSS Project for next year too because I think some of my 2010 ones are going to have to be put on hold. I have this fic, my BONES one, my Hey Arnold one, my SVU one, my Iron Man one, my CSI one, my NCIS one (even though **_**that**_** muse is practically dead now), a Hard Times of RJ Berger one, a DS9 one, a Star Trek 2009 one, a Lizzie McGuire one, and of course my standard HOUSE fic. The Season 4 M&M pretty long oneshot that I'm working on right now will be the last one for quite a while because I really need to finish at least 5 of these bad boys so I can have a measure of sanity for my English Project (which I **_**still**_** don't have all the books for) and the next school year.**

**That's the trouble of being so prolific on here. It's awesome both creativity and socially but my muse is always eager to come up with new fics and RL always makes it difficult (on a good day) to juggle them all. Ah, well. I made a vow in chocolate that I would never abandon a story that I started and I meant it, even if I can't write as frequently as I need to. Out of all of them, this fic's top priority. **

**So, here's the introduction of Faber (with two brand spankin' new OCs) and I hope you guys enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: "Honestly, it's not mine!"**

"So, Cowboy and I have to deal with two teenagers again? _**Fun.**_" Mary drawled sarcastically as she took in the youthful pictures.

Stan rolled his eyes and started laying out the facts for his Inspectors.

"They're not teenagers. They're 25 and 24 but they've been in the program for 6 years. They were compromised by a leak in the Denver office that's been taken of but they still needed to be relocated. Their FBI handler is bringing them, a Mike Faber."

"Huh. He _**sounds**_ like an asshole."

"Now, come on, dear. He may not be an asshole. Not every FBI agent's from the loins of O'Connor douchebaggery." Marshall soothed, the "dear" no longer shocking to anyone.

"Yeah, just the ones _**we**_ get stuck with." Mary grumbled as she unconsciously held his free hand.

"_**Anyway**_, DOJ wanted the best on this one because both of them are crucial to a high profile case in California. US v. Nakashima."

Stan understood the skeptical looks on both of their faces. The guy (Nathan James now Nathan McAllister) looked like the customary surfer boy stoner. His platinum blonde hair hung in bright blue eyes and he looked like any brains he had were contained in his muscles. The girl (Maxine Wheatley-James now Maxine Hendricks-McAllister) looked like an extra from a punk rock opera set in Harlem. Her long thick onyx waves were shot through with pink highlights and even in the photo, there was a feral gleam in her honey colored eyes that indicated that she would rip your balls off and eat them while you watched.

How could these two be crucial to the taking down of a Japanese human trafficking ring?

"It says here that they're married." Marshall read as a statement and a question.

'They fell for each other while studying in San Francisco and stumbled upon the main location of the ring on the job. They were plumbers and when they went to fix a pipe behind a wall, they found 25 girls, each kidnapped and about to be put on the auction block. They turned the bastards who took them in but not without getting a hit out on them."

"Hence the need for the program. Well, if they've managed to stay in one place for 6 years, then they can't be the usual brand of scared dumbass that we get. Anything special we should know?" Mary inquired with a little more respect for them.

"They are very protective of each other and both excel in the use of knives, guns, and martial arts. Basically all you two have to do is keep the external threats away from them long enough for them to get to a weapon or preferably the stand. The last part of the trial's next week."

The conference room door opened and Eleanor ushered in their new witnesses.

Maxine had on a blue and purple Jackie O scarf and large sunglasses. She had on black canvas sneakers, tightly tied and Stan spotted a garrote on her left wrist, cleverly concealed in a hand woven bracelet. The skirt she had on was white cotton and the blouse was a deep magenta. There was a cast on her right forearm that extended to her fingertips.

Nathan had dyed his hair a darker shade of blonde and cut it so it stopped at his ears in loose curls. He had on sunglasses as well and a black under tank under an open blue oxford. The green cargo shorts he had on accommodated the cast he had on his right leg and there was a switchblade hidden in the sole of his sandals. One could see it if they looked closely as he moved swiftly on crutches.

"Thank you, Ms. Price.", they said with gentle politeness as she pushed a chair over for his leg and gave Maxine her purse.

"You're welcome and it's Eleanor." she replied with a small (but still beautiful) smile as she left.

They shed their glasses and Maxine removed her scarf, shaking out a mane of onyx and chocolate colored curls. Nathan helped her finger comb it and silently handed her a large white banana clip. She wrestled her hair into it and twined her good hand with his.

"Where's Agent Faber?" Stan asked them with a confused frown.

"Still climbing the stairs, probably. It's sad. Nate and I are both crippled and we're faster than him. Such a pathetic D-Bag. I hate the FBI." Max grumbled with a roll of her eyes.

Marshall snorted and Mary declared, "I like you already."

Stan used that as the all clear to leave the room.

_**/**_

As soon as he saw her, he knew that he had to have her.

She was a statuesque blonde, reminding him of a runway model and she certainly had the body for it. Even in jeans and a tank top, she was a strong, luscious hourglass. There was fire in her celery colored gaze and Mike knew from experience that women with that fire were dynamite in bed.

As he let his eyes roam over her, he noticed the most important things: A US Marshal badge on her hip and the lack of ring on her left ring finger.

He had found his mark. He'd lay on the charm and pounce, getting what he wanted like a true Faber man. He opened the door and the conversation stopped as everyone looked at him. Faber gulped a little as Maxine and Nathan looked at him balefully. Even though he had a gun and was a federal agent, the two of them ilicited more fear than the craziest drug dealers. He had personally seen how they had gotten their injuries and compared to what they did to their pursuers, what they had were paper cuts.

"Afternoon. I'm Special Agent Mike Faber. I see you've already met your new witnesses?"

As he spoke, he focused mainly on her, taking her in from a better angle…

"Get your eyes out of her cleavage, Faber. She's with her partner." Nathan declared with a smug smile.

"How'd you know?" the guy next to her asked, not even bothering to refute the claim.

Faber didn't blame him. If he had a hot little Kitten like her to come home to, he'd let everyone know.

"Body language. You two always find little ways to touch each other and you looked at her with goo in your eyes as she said how kickass we were for turning those sick fucks in and…she has hickeys on her neck shaped like your incisors.", Maxine listed with a shrug. "Plus, you two are totally holding hands and have been since we came in."

Kitten twined the fingers even more and the guy pressed a light kiss to her knuckles before releasing her hand in order to shake his. The guy was a bean pole but he had a grip that could crush steel.

"US Marshal Marshall Mann. The woman you've been ogling is my partner, Mary Shannon.", he introduced with a warning gleam in his eyes.

_Look but don't touch, buddy…hell, don't even look!_

Her grip was even stronger and it took all of his prep school trained control not to wince at the already there hatred in her gaze.

Apparently, this wasn't going to be as easy as he thought, what with the partner being the boyfriend, but Faber knew that if he were patient, he'd get his opening.

And his Kitten.


	17. Chapter 17

**Author's Note: Good day. I'm pissed and I'm hurting. When I'm pissed and hurting, I want to write. Lucky for you guys and the people reading my House fic.**

**Thank you for your positive response to Brandi/Peter's budding relationship and I will get back to them soon. Right now, it's all about Faber v. M&M plus Nate and Max. Other than the whole married part, I've based their interactions off of mine with my friend Andrew. He's just as crazy and perverted and intelligent as I am and I would like to meet a guy that I could have that connection with and be married to. I love Andrew to death but…no. **

**Disclaimer: "Honestly, it's not mine!"**

Mary watched as Max neatly cut coupons, her arm now free from her cast for a week. Nathan (or Nate as he insisted she and Cowboy call him) had gone today to get his off with Marshall and Faber so soon, they'd be the lean mean fighting machines she had read about.

They had only been in Albuquerque for a month but Mary knew that they would be her favorite witnesses to deal with, even with their pet D-Bag. They knew the MOU inside out and backwards and had no problems with obeying the rules. Neither of them had any family alive and they had been solitary creatures before meeting each other. The only people that could compromise them were themselves and that wouldn't happen any time soon…

"_We may fight like cats and dogs in heat sometimes but at the end of the day, the only way we want the other to die is during sex when we're 90 something. If the fuckers find us again, it's going to be from another leak or at the courthouse itself and we're prepared if the situation arises."_

Damn right, they were. When Denver had sent their approved of arsenal Mary had counted 10 knives (including 2 military ones), 4 handguns, 2 shotguns (or boomsticks, as they jokingly called them), 4 sets of brass knuckles, 4 tasers (long and short range), 4 Kevlar vests, a long range sniper rifle and a huge steel box of ammo. Not only did they have that, they had put in an alarm system in their condo and motion activated external lights. The furniture that they had found at resale shops was heavy and solid, good for barricades.

With all that plus their marital arts skills, Nate and Max could turn Albuquerque into the next Waco if they so chose.

The door clicked open and Nate walked in, meeting Max halfway in an embrace. They kissed gently but briefly, something else Mary was unused to with young couples, and Max rested her head on his shoulder. Marshall and Faber came in and Mary scooted over on the counter so her Cowboy could rest his head on her shoulder. He looked weary and Mary was willing to bet both of her tits that it had to do with the staring FBI D-Bag and not the witnesses.

"Are you Back in Black now, babe?" Max asked with a gesture towards her AC/DC shirt.

"I am let loose from the noose." Nate quoted with a brilliant smile. "The doc said that it's going to be a little stiff for a couple of days but other than that, I am ready for action."

Max smiled and squeezed him before quipping, "Great. Now, you can be on top of me again without hurting yourself. I've missed having you on me."

"I always worry about squishing you. I'm heavier than you" Nate fretted even with his leering grin.

"You're not _**that**_ heavy and I like having you on me, whether we're _**in**_ bed, _**about**_ to be in bed, or _**thinking**_ about being in bed. If I want you off, I'll tell you but unless I've totally fucked up my ribs again, that's not going to happen."

_Oh, wow…really?_

"They're us, Mare." Marshall said with quiet awe, speaking what was on her mind as always.

Sick of their audience, she hopped off of the counter and led him onto the patio, shutting the door behind them.

"I only wish that I had met you at their age. Things wouldn't have sucked nearly as much." she replied honestly. "Okay, yeah, there would've been more useless trivia in my life but other than that…"

"Shut up. I'm looking forward to when we just have to deal with them and not the FBI. If Nate hadn't come back to the truck when he had, I was going to shoot him." Marshall grumbled with a glance back at the D-Bag.

Whoa. Unlike her, Marshall didn't joke about wanting to bust a cap in someone. He actually despised using his weapon (even though he was a phenomenal shot) so if Faber had been cruising for a slug, then he must have said or done something completely stupid. Since Faber seemed to be more of a talker…

"What did he say about me?" she asked knowingly.

His sigh racked his entire frame and his eyes blazed with righteous rage.

"Stuff not even worth repeating! He just pissed me off so much, Mare! He doesn't have any respect for you or our relationship and I…"

"Yeah, I know." she cut off gently. "It's only a little while longer. Come on, you've dealt with me for almost ten years. Faber's nothing compared to that."

"You have redeeming qualities! He doesn't!" he hissed. "Or if he does, they're buried so far under the assholery that they've become atrophied and fossilized! He is an utter and complete lummox and a disgrace to all branches of law enforcement!"

Oh, yeah. He was mad. He was talking faster and with nerdy Ivy League college granted diction. Knowing that it was against their rules but not caring, she kissed him, knowing that it would soothe his savage beast. He stiffened a little at first but responded wholeheartedly, drinking her down like she was the sweetest water…

"It's going to be okay, Marshall. You'll see." she wheezed as they parted reluctantly.

"As long as you keep kissing me like that, I'll believe you. Jesus, woman…"

She gave him a light punch on the arm and then led him back inside to finish up the visit.

The sooner they got home, the sooner they could do more than kiss.


	18. Chapter 18

**Author's Note: Good morning, everyone. I'm in higher spirits now and a storm's a-brewing so I feel like writing. You know, I always feel like writing. It's just time and the various sources of mayhem (both the good kind and the bad kind) in my life that stop me. I'm going to try and update as much as I can today and I hope you enjoy this one. I laughed my ass off while typing it so that's a good sign…**

**The M&M Season 4 PLOneshot is still on the agenda but it'll be up later than I thought. I've come to a standstill in my drafting. Plus, I've yet another new plot bunny nipping at my heels. Muse wants Mike/Connie goodness (Law and Order) and for me to update what I've already got so it may happen towards fall. We'll see.**

**Disclaimer: "Honestly, it's not mine!"**

"You look spiffy."

"You look sleepy and satisfied. What's gotten into Marshall, anyway? You guys were at it like beasts."

Mary flushed pink. They _**had**_ been pretty wild last night…

"We're working with an asshole right now and he wants me. I don't like it. I want to shoot him but Stan won't let me. Marshall doesn't like it either and he doesn't want to shoot him until it's absolutely necessary so he expresses his rage through the majesty of beast-like sex. What's with the spiffy?"

"Um…Peter and I are going to the movies."

"This early?"

"Yeah. We're going to get lunch and hang out at the library afterwords."

Mary made a noise of approval and continued sipping at her mug of ginger tea. Marshall had gotten her hooked on the stuff and it went well with 2 day old pecan banana pie. While she was in panties and one of his old t-shirts (Star Wars, this time), Brandi was in a long white skirt, a light green tank top, and a hip length black cardigan. She looked excited and nervous to see Peter and Mary knew that she had that look sometimes when she and Cowboy were going to hang out.

"I really like this guy, Squish. No criminal record, no ties to anyone with a criminal record, and he does right by you. Don't screw it up."

"I hope I don't. Oh, my god, he's **_here!_**"

Mary chuckled and got up to answer the door, assuring Brandi that no, she didn't need to change and yes, she really liked Peter, which was saying something because she didn't like anyone. She saw that Marshall was out of bed and heard him rustling in the kitchen. Good. She was ravenous after all his attention…

Opening the door, she frowned deeply and wished that her mug of tea was her trusty sig known as Phil.

"How the fuck did you get this address?"

Faber chuckled and replied, " I'm FBI. I can get any information I want, including on you, Kitten."

"I'll go get Marshall." Brandi said quickly before darting down the hall.

Yeah, that would be a good idea. Marshall had just the right amount of patience for this guy. Mary didn't. She was about two steps from throwing the rest of her tea in his arrogant face. **_Kitten?_**

"What do you want? Are Max and Nate okay? Is their trial okay?"

"Yes and yes. I just want to see if you wanted to get some breakfast."

_What the… __**fuck?**_

**_"Are you freakin' kidding me?_** Look at me! I'm in my boyfriend's shirt in his house where I happily live with his dried love cream on my inner thighs and you're asking me on a _**date?**_" Mary snapped with her greatest "you fucking dumbass" look.

"Yeah. So, that's a no?"

'That's a _**Hell No**_.", Marshall snarled from the kitchen entrance.

Brandi was giggling next to him with a hand over her eyes because not only did he have a frying pan in his hand, he was _**naked**_ with a frying pan in his hand. Mary couldn't help but laugh herself, even in the face of Hurricane Mann, but he ignored both of women in favor of stepping into the front doorway in all his glory. If any neighbors were watching, they were getting quite a show. A very nice show…

Faber's eyes were wide and Mary felt a jolt of pride as he backed up a couple of steps.

_Yeah, that's right! Back up, asshole! You're dealing with a man that could Mosh Pit kick you into next week even in the buff…_

"Now, I don't know what they put in the drinking water up in Denver or whatever pit you crawled out of but I think it's affected your memory. Mary and I have made it quite clear that we are not only partners with clothes on but partners without clothes…"

"Literally.", Mary purred as her eyes wandered leisurely over his form.

He may be built like a rail but he was a buff rail and a hung rail, even when he wasn't turned on. Jesus, her man…

"Listen, Marshall…" Faber started in a "whoa now, Nellie" tone.

"I'm naked, running on about an hour of sleep, and armed with a rather large cast iron skillet and a whole lot of hatred. Do you _**really**_ want to mess with me right now? Leave Mary alone and don't come back here unless there's something mortally wrong with Nate and Max or the case. The next time you step out of line, you're going to get a bullet to the head and I _**don't**_ mean the one with ears. Got it?" Marshall threatened with a near conversational calm.

Mary knew that he was anything but calm. Looks like today's off day would be a day at the shooting range, if he didn't go after her like a lion to a gazelle. Either way, she was happy. ..

"Yeah…yeah, I got it."

Mary knew that he didn't but he was retreating for now in the face of Naked Mann and his Frying Pan of Doom.

"Good. Please leave. Hi, Peter!" he greeted as Faber got quickly into his truck and floored it.

Peter was leaning against his car nonchalantly with a single white lily in his hand for Brandi, her favorite flower. Mary's approval of him notched up a couple of places. He had been there for the whole debacle and was unfazed. In fact, he looked amused…

"Marshall. How's the breeze?" Peter replied calmly as he joined them on the porch.

"Lovely. Brandi? Your date is here."

Still giggling (and snorting a couple of times), Squish came outside and apologized, "I am _**so**_ sorry you had to see that."

"Eh. Compared to what happens at Alpert family reunions, naked Marshall with a frying pan is nothing. Well, not _**nothing**_. You're a very lucky woman, Mary." Peter informed her with a slight gesture to Marshall's…

"Oh, god!" Mary wheezed before stepping strategically in front of very red faced Marshall, damned near falling over in laughter.

Yeah, Peter was pretty damned awesome.

"You know what, let's go. I should be back by 8. Bye, Mare. Bye, Naked." Brandi snickered before dragging Peter by the wrist back to the car.

They left and Marshall backed them inside, shutting the door with a quiet snap. She shook her head and looked up into his eyes with confusion.

"Okay, I get the naked but what up with the frying pan?"

"I was going to make you bacon." he replied sweetly.

"Naked? What if you got grease on your not nothing?"

"I know you'd kiss it and make it better. You know, we've got to do something about that guy. We could get him written up for harassment."

"Can't. Asshole or not, he's crucial to Max and Nate's case and if he's arrested or written up, his credibility's shot to hell. Defense could use him as a loophole."

He chewed that over and replied, "Yeah, you're right. Maybe I could hit him with a frying pan."

"I like your other idea better." Mary replied darkly, referencing the "head without ears" threat.

"You would. And while we're on the subject…_**dried love cream**_, Mare?"

"What? It's there and it's starting to itch!"

Marshall chuckled and easily picked her up, heading towards the shower, an idea she wholeheartedly agreed with.

After all, he deserved a reward for going to bat (well…pan) for their relationship and her honor.


	19. Chapter 19

**Author's Note: Two chapters in one day. Wow. I'm proud of that. Thank you all for your positive responses to Naked Mann and his Frying Pan of Doom (especially you, BuJyo ;D) and I hope you guys enjoy this sexy chapter, both for M&M and Stan and Eleanor. I love them together.**

**Disclaimer: "Honestly, it's not mine!"**

He once told her that he'd be able to get off by just watching her move around her naked womanliness. Standing in the master bathroom doorway, he could hear his inner animal growl as her upturned bottom invited his hands or his aching cock. It was insatiable for her as always and watching her run a brush through her golden mane made him lick his chops.

Coming up behind her, he whirled her around and kissed her hard, delighting in the way she wrapped her legs around his waist. Mary impaled herself on him with a sexy scream and using his biceps and the force of his lust, he made her ride him in mid air. His gaze was riveted to the reflection of their naked bodies twining together and she bit down on his earlobe.

"We look hot, don't we…putting all those porn stars to shame…" she whispered as she started swiveling her hips on the way down.

"Oh, god, Mare…" he whimpered.

Yes, she could make him whimper and no, he was not ashamed.

"_**There's**_ an idea…making a tape…"

"Someone might…._**ah!**_ F-find it…", he wheezed, even as the idea of her on tape hardened him even more inside her.

"N-not if we do it right… oh my, _**God!**_"

Marshall gritted his teeth as she screamed out, her orgasm fierce and he backed them to their bed, moaning as she scratched his chest. She rode him gently and he moved back at her, her eyes burning like fire. She was ripe and soft and beautiful and _**his**_, damn it! He had waited so long, so patiently to be with her and he would damned if some FBI jackass with smarmy charm took her from him.

His modern mind reminded him that Mary would never let Faber give her a stick of gum, much less fuck her but his primal self refused to listen to reason. All he knew was that some punk was sniffing around his woman and she needed to be reminded just who loved her and just who her body belonged to, hence all of the sex they had been having.

Her hand went gently to his face and he let her kiss him, groaning into her mouth as his hips took on a mind of their own. He emptied inside her with a shaky sigh and she stroked his face gently as they regained their composure.

"Mary…"

"Shh. I get it. I'm not going anywhere, Marshall. Not without you."

He kissed her cheek and let her rest on him, content just to lay with her.

_**/**_

He could hear music blasting through the office doors and he shook his head with exasperated fondness.

His inspectors had gotten even weirder now they were together but they were happy. Happy inspectors were productive ones and that meant less paper work and hair loss.

Scanning through the doors, he saw neither Mary nor Marshall but Eleanor. She was organizing the office supplies and he found himself riveted by the sway of her hips as she unconsciously danced.

She had on a long dark purple skirt, a black top with large pink roses on the hem and her feet were bare, showing painted lavender toes. Her honey blonde hair was pinned up by two chopsticks, exposing the nape of her neck.

Finally giving into the impulse, he came up behind her and spanned her waist with his hands. She yelped but he drew her close, letting her recognize him. Eleanor trembled but didn't tell him to let her go. In fact, she wiggled closer, letting him smell her sweet musk. Her hands were braced against the cabinet and his eyes went to her ring finger.

Her _**bare**_ ring finger.

"Eleanor…"

"There's something in the air here. Albuquerque makes it easy for people to heal and to start new, which is probably why you, Marshall, and Medusa have such a high success rate. It's like…I…Stan, I don't know how to explain it but it just felt right to take it off. I'm always going to miss John but…" she rambled softly.

"It's time to move forward."

She nodded and turned around, acknowledging the silent "with me" with a tiny smile.

He smiled back and did what he had been aching to ever since he saw her.

He kissed her.

Eleanor whimpered and kissed back, slowly twining her tongue with his and clutching at the lapels of his jacket. He braced her against the file cabinet and she put one, then both legs around his waist, drawing them even closer.

They broke for air and she moved away, confusing him.

All confusion left as soon as she pulled her top over her head and let it hit the floor. Her bra was lacy and white, adding to the sacredness of this moment. She slid her skirt off and he closed the distance between them, kissing her again, this time harder. She whimpered again but started at his clothes fiercely, wanting to move on, wanting him to help her, to love her…

He backed her into his office, leaving a trail of clothes and they hit the couch.

"Eleanor, are you sure?"

"I'm sure. I want you. Please…"

Okay, that was the end of any resistance. He unclasped her bra and her breasts spilled out, ripe and perfect for his hands. She keened as he stroked her nipples with his thumbs and arched like a bow as he took one into his mouth. Her nails dug into his shoulders and he smiled at the pain. She was unraveling for him…

He switched to the neglected breast and she wiggled out of her panties, letting them hit the floor like a feather. His boxers got the same treatment and then she thrust herself up onto him.

Stan hissed and tried to focus on something, anything but how tight she was, how wet, how silky…he wanted this to last. Eleanor had different ideas. She kept moving up against him and he had no choice but to move with her to her rhythm, swallowing her cries of pleasure with his lips.

It didn't take long or either of them and just as she shattered with a bawdy yell, he succumbed with a gasp and rapidly pistoning hips.

It was quick. It was in his office. It was perfection.

After a while, he looked up into her eyes and asked shyly, "Want to do it again?"

She nodded happily and took the wind out of him as she reversed their positions.

"You're mine, McQueen." she purred. "All mine."

Being owned never felt so good.


	20. Chapter 20

**Author's Note: Okay, it's time to bring in the Trial and a little bit of action. I'm also going to reintroduce Faber (He's recovered from Naked Mann and his Frying Pan of Doom, although I'm **_**still**_** laughing. It's one of my best punch lines, I believe) and make him a little less subtle and a lot more smarmy. No worries, he won't get far. He may not end up with a bullet but I'm thinking something a little bit more evil.**

**I really hate that guy.**

**Disclaimer: "Honestly, it's not mine!"**

"Come in and sit down. Mary and Marshall will be here in 5."

Faber watched as Max retreated back into the house and came in as soon as he was sure there wasn't a booby trap. He was used to people hating him. After all, he was an asshole and a Fed. That wasn't exactly conducive to friendship…or relationships. Honestly, though, what he wanted from Kitten was sex. A lot of it but he was starting to wonder if she was worth the trouble…

He shuddered as the image of an avenging naked Mann taking a gun to his boys entered his head but his lust outweighed the fear. If she wanted to be with Mann, that was fine. What he wanted to be was that little hiccup between the happy couple, that "moment of weakness" that his father had perfected with his many affairs. He licked his lips as she envisioned her naked body, curvy and sweet… Yeah, she was worth it. Definitely.

Nathan came in and unlocked the bottom desk drawer. He pulled out a sig and put in near the small of his back and put 5 clips of ammo in his deep cargo pockets. A taser was put into his front pocket and he pulled his black tee and open Oxford over it all, camouflaging it perfectly. If he and his wife weren't so insane, they'd make great agents…

"Blade or gun, Max?"

"2 blades and a taser, please."

She came out in a pair of cargos and an open black blouse, showing a light blue bra. Faber couldn't help but look. Max was a pretty young thing but she was a married witness…and she hated him. Kitten hated him, too but not in a way that was immediately life threatening.

"Okay, so do we need to go over your testimony?" Faber asked after they got the rest of their clothes and weapons on.

"No.", they replied in icy unison, glaring at him like he was a cockroach to be stomped.

The door opened and Mann came in, thankfully clothed in a suit.

"Morning. Let's get going."

Nate helped her into a jacket and she grabbed her purse before they walked out, making Faber have to jog to catch up. They scooted as far away from him as possible but he was more focused on the woman in the front seat. Kitten had on a black suit and a white top, looking professional but still sexy. She passed out 3 McMuffins and some juice. Now would be a good time to save face…

"Listen, about yesterday…"

"It doesn't matter. _**You**_ don't matter so let's just move forward, shall we? Pedal to the metal, Doofus." she cut off coldly and quickly.

"Yes, mistress." Mann replied wryly, sending them into motion.

All right, she was going to play it like that, huh? Fine. If she wanted to be nasty, he could get nasty too. The end result would be the same: her in his bed.

_**/**_

The courtroom was in an uproar.

The guilty verdicts had come in after less than an hour of deliberation and both Nate and Max had kicked ass on the stand. They were calm and cool, nearly robotic, and they faced down the sleazy defense attorney like he was a dragon.

Mary didn't know a lick of Japanese but Nakashima sounded to be in quite a tizzy and while he couldn't do anything, she was sure that someone loyal to him lurking around could.

"Well, that went well." Faber greeted with a grin.

"It's not over until they're out of harm's way. Just because Nakashima and his main posse are going up the river doesn't mean that some lackey looking for a raise isn't lurking around. Got a gun?"

"Yeah."

"Go find Marshall and get it out. I have a feeling you're going to need it."

"You know, this bossy side of yours pretty sexy…"

"Shut up and go." she snapped as she got to her witnesses.

They were standing near the bailiff and looked battle ready. Good. The more, the merrier.

Max hugged her and whispered, "5 guys are out near the truck in a '07 Impala. I saw them while Nate was on the stand."

"Oh. That's great. Congratulations." Mary played off with a smile. "Come on, let's get you home."

"Great idea." Nate replied as they walked out the back way, finding Faber and Marshall.

"We have company."

"Yeah, Max spotted them. 5 of us, 5 of them. I like those odds. Are you two…?"

Max pulled out two deadly looking daggers and Nate armed his sig with blood lust in his eyes.

"Always armed. Let's do this."

_**/**_

Bobby D pulled up to the courthouse and saw an absolute mess. Five men lay dead, 4 due to bullets and one due to a slit throat and a bullet, and there were five bruised and bloody fighters, 2 of them being Mary and Marshall. The few remaining witnesses were shaking and scared, crying at the sight of all the bullet holes. News crews were everywhere and he shook his head.

"Y'all really love complicating my job, don't you?" he greeted.

"It's not just a passion, it's a way of life." Mary replied wryly as she wrapped two of the fighters (presumably witnesses in the program) in blankets and put them in a new SUV.

"I don't even want to know. Self defense?"

"Yep. Witnesses should confirm it.", Marshall replied. "Faber, I think your job here is done now."

"Is it?"

"The trial's over and the FBI's presence is no longer required. You can go back to Denver a hero and on the fast track for promotion. Unless you'd still like to sexually harass my girlfriend."

Girlfriend? What the fuck was he…oh…Mary. Huh. Shocking. Yeah, right. The boys back at the station owed him quite a tidy sum now.

"I still have to write my report and then I'll leave. As for Kitten here…"

"I'm not your Kitten and I never will be. Get it through your thick skull. _**We**_ need to go and update Stan. I'm sure this nice detective here will be happy to give you a ride back to your motel."

Dershowitz's eye narrowed at her tone but before he could even ask, they were gone.

Sometimes, he missed the days when Albuquerque was just a sleepy tourist spot and not full of crazy US Marshals and their pet assholes.


	21. Chapter 21

**Author's Note: Hey. Okay, I'm winding down the Faber plot line and this fic in general. The epilogue's next chapter.**

**The main plot of this was getting Mary and Marshall together in the way that they desperately need to be and now that I did, there's not much left to do with this bad boy. That doesn't mean that I'm forgetting about them. Oh, no. I've got enough righteous rage left to come up with at least 2 other fics so keep on the lookout and I thank all of you for reading, reviewing, alerting, and just enjoying my little scribble on the wall.**

**Disclaimer: "Honestly, it's not mine!"**

"You guys suck."

Marshall watched fondly as Mary laughed into her margarita glass and gave Bobby D a sheepish shrug as he sat in the booth with them.

"Sorry, man. Just be lucky that you haven't had to deal with him all the time for the last 2 months." he replied as he sipped his scotch.

After getting Nate and Max safely home, they had cleaned themselves off and came to Phil's. It was a hangout for law enforcement and they had wonderful chili cheese fries.

"So…you two?" Bobby teased.

"Mm-hm. It'll be 6 months in about 8 hours." Mary replied absently as she finished her drink.

Marshall's eyes nearly fell out of his head. She kept track too?

"Duh, Doofus. Ever since I took my head out of my ass, things have been peaceful. Well, kinda. I like that. I love you. So, yeah, Happy 6 Month Anniversary, asshole."

He smiled and pressed a kiss to her shoulder.

"I didn't get you a gift."

"What you did to Faber a couple of days ago is all the gift I need. That was hilarious."

"What did he do?"

As Mary started to tell the story of his Avenging Nakedness, Marshall let his eyes roam around the bar. The usual pool tournament was in full swing, there were some college girls looking for big strong men with handcuffs…and Faber had just walked in. The man looked drunk as a skunk already and he was looking around, searching for his "Kitten"…loudly.

The bar fell silent except for the aforementioned Kitten because she was getting to the good part.

"... so Marshall, the man who has a problem even undoing the top two buttons of his shirt comes out of the kitchen with nothing but a frying pan.."

"Oh, god!" Bobby choked before cracking up.

"..and he's letting it all hang out not only in front of the asshole but Brandi's boyfriend too!"

The entire bar cracked up except for himself and a glaring Faber. Marshall tapped her shoulder and all traces of mirth left her face as Faber laughed obnoxiously.

"So, I see how it is! You won't bother with me but you'll give Shemar Moore here some time, huh Kitten? No, I get it! Albuquerque's **_very_** tight knit. McQueen in on it too or maybe that Prince broad? You look like you'd go for that..."

Enough! Marshall's fist slammed into the weasel's nose and he had him pinned to the wall in five seconds flat, choking him with his forearm. Distantly he could hear Bobby D yelling and he could feel Mary trying to pull him off of him right now, he had cared about was shutting his stupid mouth.

"You fucking bastard!" Faber gasped as blood poured out of his nose.

"The only bastard in this situation is you. You're a drunken little weasel and you bring shame to every person who decided to go into law enforcement. You don't deserve your badge!"

Faber was turning blue and he was finally dragged off by Mary and Bobby, letting him sink to the floor.

"If I ever see your sorry face again or hear you say anything so deplorable about any woman, especially _**my**_ woman, I'll kill you."

He meant it and everybody could tell he meant it and that was why Mary was able to drag him out of there with no protests.

"Mary…" he started as she put him in the car.

"I'm just glad that you didn't shoot him. I am really, _**really**_ glad that you didn't shoot him. How's your hand?"

It was swollen, purple, and oozing blood in places. He had put all of his weight and pent up rage into the blow and it showed…

"Fucking hurts." he grumbled, making her snort.

"Serves you right. So, I'm your woman, huh?"

"I'm not answering that because you'll hit me."

"No, I won't. You punched and damned near choked an idiot to death for my honor. You get a free pass.", she assured him with a soft smile.

Marshall sighed and nodded in the affirmative. She twined her fingers with his good ones and squeezed.

"Good. You're my Doofus. Now, let's get you home. We need to put a steak on that bad boy."

He shook his head and leaned back into the passenger's seat, letting her drive them home and their bed.

Happy Anniversary, indeed.


	22. Chapter 22

**Author's Note: Alas, the end. Writing this story has been fun, stressful, and cathartic all at once and I'm glad that you guys enjoyed it. I've been bit by the **_**Covert Affairs **_**plot bunny but after I work through that, I'm going to begin drafting on the Season 4 fix fic I mentioned earlier.**

**Anyway, here's the epilogue and thank you all for reading and I hope that you guys will be around for the next one. Much love, ~*CMW2~***

**Disclaimer: "Honestly, it's not mine!"**

"Come on, Mary. She won't bite." Peter urged gently.

"I…I don't…what if I drop her? I could totally drop her!"

"Mare, you raised me. You know how to hold a freakin' baby. Now, quit being a pussy and hold your niece."

Marshall chuckled as Mary gently accepted the 5 hour old baby from Brandi and her arms instinctively moved to the correct places. Samantha Mary Shannon-Alpert had come approximately nine months after her parents got hitched. Brandi and Peter had gone the traditional "no nookie until marriage" route and while Marshall could appreciate that, he couldn't help but come up with every joke in the book when Brandi came back from Cabo pregnant.

Mary had been terrible. Hilarious but terrible, all the same. Now, she was actually smiling at her niece, holding her like she was made of spun glass and live ammo.

"Hi, Sam. I'm your crazy Aunt Mary. I may not know jack about Barbies but I'll teach you about guns. They're more important. Can you say Smith and Westen?" she cooed.

"Oh, _**god**_…Mare, can I hold my niece, now?" Marshall asked between chortles.

"Mm-hm. Okay, Sam. Go see Uncle Doofus."

He really was Uncle Doofus. After another six months, she had actually come up with the idea of getting hitched. She had asked via handcuffs. Basically, she had cuffed them together and demanded that he "make their unholy alliance legal in the eyes of the government" or chew his arm off in a bid for freedom. Guess what he chose…

They had been at the courthouse by the end of the day. Their wedding picture had them in jeans, armed, and grinning like loons.

"It's actually Uncle Marshall, sweetie. Your auntie calls me Uncle Doofus because she's mean…and I like it. I'll explain exactly why when you're 30…"

"**_40_**.", Peter corrected.

"35."

"Fine. Give me my daughter, please."

His arms felt strangely empty without the little girl in them and he could see Mary watching Brandi nurse her with something that wasn't her usual baby related horror. The look was of curiosity and…wistfulness? She looked at him and he knew that look.

She had that look while she had done the handcuff thing: resolved yet pleading. He led her out of the room and waited until they got into the elevator before saying it.

"You want a baby."

Mary grimaced slightly but replied, "Why not? If I have to have my body invaded for 9 months and push out a bowling ball with limbs, I'd rather it be with you. You'd balance out the Shannon DNA with useless trivia and geniusness."

Marshall smiled.

"All right. We'll nix the birth control."

"I…kinda already did. And… I may have put some inflated condoms in Stan's car. Nobody actually saw me _**do it**_ but…"

Oh, man. If their kids were even _**half **_as crazy as she was, he'd be grey and addicted to Alka Seltzer by 50.

But, damn if it wouldn't be a hell of a lot of fun.

**FIN.**


End file.
